The Mighty Atlantic.

[curiouswombat]

After posts featuring stormy weather, the Ben-my-Chree, and the wreck of the Ellan Vannin my mind appears to be on the sea. In the comments to the post about the Ellan Vannin I was reminded of a track by my favourite band Runrig, and zanthinegirl and I decided it was well worth sharing. Especially as so many of my FL live, if not near the mighty Atlantic, then near water of one type or another.

The version I have embedded here includes the words.

I am curious as to how some of my friends 'feel' these words.

Callum, the lyricist, is a practising Christian and I think this may come over to some - but apart from that, when I listen to the lyrics myself I find myself thinking of Tolkien's elves and I wondered if the lyrics struck the same chord with any of my friends?

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

Loved it! Glad you posted the Lylics as well. The Scottish accent is a little think in some places, some might not have understood. Powerful!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I do like that track. You are right; powerful is the word.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of this band before but that was beautiful. It actually speaks to me more of the Dunedain and the great mariners of Numenor than the elves. I can imagine Aldarion standing at the deck of one of his huge vessels with the waves crashing against the prow as he returns to Romenna from some long excursion in M-e. The music is definitely 'mannish' to my mind rather than 'elvish'!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Ah - someone else to be introduced to the sound of Runrig! Do look out some of their other stuff on You-tube. They've been around a very long time, and I've been a fan since April 1986. (We first came across their music on our honeymoon in Edinburgh!)

Yes - I can totally see what you mean about the great Numenorian mariners. Runrig's music is definitely more mannish than elvish; it was some of the lyrics that made me think of the Elvish migration West.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Ah - here is one for you (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwB3VBBsVIw&feature=related) - this is slightly heavier in feel - but it does go beautifully with the clip - which I am pretty sure you'll appreciate...!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Oh I liked that very much indeed! Thank you.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

My pleasure!

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

I really like that song! I'm glad you posted a version with the lyrics. Sometimes the accent is a little heavy for me. :D

I definitely "feel" those words. Interesting, knowing the author is coming from a christian world-view does change the feeling a little (objectively I think that God can work in anyone) and I think I understand I little of where he's coming from. I also find the ocean to be a very spiritual experience. There's something about standing staring out at the surf that (for lack of a better word!) is very centering. I always find it help me feel more a peace with my place in the universe.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about feeling at peace at the edge of the tide. And the sea is there in so many of Runrig's songs, with them being, mainly, islanders - particularly Callum and Rory who write most of the stuff.

Callum's faith is there underpinning a lot of the lyrics - just not !In Your Face! which is a good thing, I think.

The videos when someone has put the lyrics on are really neat - I can keep up with the words of most of their stuff - I can even sing along in, bad, Gaelic - but I also have the advantage of having most of the album sleeves with the words on!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Have you sen this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrNH42EeEF0)? Sea, lyrics... a goody!

[appomattoxco.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting this. I love the mountians and woods but my mom and all her sisters adored the ocean. There are too many personal connections to the ocean for me to tease out any fanish ones from this song.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

The ocean is present in a lot of Runrig's music as the writing team of Callum and Rory McDonald are islanders from Skye. So it is really good when someone puts together a video like this with the sea in pictures as well as the music - try this one... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrNH42EeEF0)

[runriggers.livejournal.com]

Calum McDonald is a wonderful lyricist!!! Malcolm Jones is a genius musician .... this is one of my favourite songs by Runrig. I can see and feel the power of the Atlantic in this song! The changing moods of the ocean.

As well as being a Christian, Runrig's songs are about the landscape they grew up with and the power of the landscape. I don't see relgion in this song, really.

I can see how you could think of Tolkein's elves with this song - the power of the sea and the longing for the sea. I feel the pull of the sea from my ancestry and from visiting Scotland, and Vancouver and Ireland and this song brings that power to life.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It is one of my favourites - but top three are still Cnoc Na Feille, Skye, and Siol Ghoraid. Which is probably why this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N97lAGvbb5c&feature=related) is still one of my favourites over on You-tube! Even though I have the original.

I always find it interesting to see the ... underpinnings... to the lyrics that are Calum's faith; so much a part of him as is his language, the sea, or his ancestry. I wonder if it is even recognisable to those who are conservative American Christians.

I have been sorry to read of Malcolm's health problems as he is, most certainly, one of the greatest living musicians in the world.


ETA - Aargh - why don't I preview things with HTML in? Stupid wombat.

[runriggers.livejournal.com]

I get the Wire every month or 6 weeks or however many times the publish. Malcolm seems to be doing fine now, thankfully.

Yeah, Calum's faith is a very powerful, but quiet presence in most of their songs. My other favourite is An Ubhal As Airde. Both of these songs I can totally see as figure skating routines (strange where the mind goes). But the power of the songs, the lyrics, the music is just breathtaking.

Thank you for posting this and bringing Runrig to more people's attention!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I often think that songs would be good to skate to as well.

As for bringing Runrig to more people's attention

Well that, as you know, is totally my pleasure!

[runriggers.livejournal.com]

Totally your pleasure? Why is that not a surprise :))

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

See me surreptitiously converting people all down the comments thread!

[fionnabhar.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love Runrig so, so much!

Also, and. We received a lovely surprise Christmas cake in the mail yesterday. It was a surprise because I'd forgotten all about the Pay It Forward Exchange! And it reminded me that I owe people something by Jan. 11. Thank you so much--it's beautiful!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad that it arrived in one piece. Runrig and rich fruit cake sounds a good idea for a winter afternoon, now I come to think of it!