1. Capercaillie Skye Waulking Song This track is from the album Nadurra, released in 2000. (Nadurra is Gaelic for naturally)

2. Capercaille Capercaille is a Celtic, modern Folk Band. It is made up of 8 musicians mainly from Scotland & Ireland. It was formed in Oban (Scotland) in 1984, & has become famous worldwide.

3. Capercaille continued… They play traditional folk instruments (uilleannn pipes, flute, fiddle, accordian & bouzouki) over more modern instruments like drums, keyboard & bass guitar. Their singer, Karen Matheson, mainly sings in Scots Gaelic. Their music is a mix of traditional Celtic songs & more contemporary ideas & modern drum beats.

4. ‘Skye Waulking Song’ Chuir M’Athair Mise Dahn Taige Charraideach The full title translates as ‘My Father Sent Me to a House of Sorrow’. The song is a mixture of traditional folk music and popular music.

5. Instrumentation Traditional fiddle uilleann pipes whistle accordian bouzouki Modern guitar bass guitar drum kit keyboard (2)

6. Structure 8 verses based on the same melody but slightly different chords Intro Begins with sustained keyboard chord Fiddle joins in (tremolo) Drums, 2 nd keyboard and bouzouki join in (counterpoint) Bass playing staccato (verses 1-3) Traditional (fairly simple beat). It’s in E minor (chords switch between Em & G). Quiet, calm & peaceful. Focus on the singer Verses 4-6 Full rhythm section drives song forward. It’s in G major. Chords C, G, Em C, G Mostly louder Instrumental Pipes and fiddle solo in a heterophonic texture. Improvising. Verse 7 Chords change to Am9-Em9,Em C, G Verse 8 Chords change back to C G Em C G Outro Vocals improvise to nonsense syllables. Instruments weave counterpoint. Long fade-out to end.

7. Structure 8 verses based on the same melody but slightly different chords Intro sustained keyboard chord EF#GA chords switch between Em G Verses 1-3 Em G Verses 4-6 C GEm C G Instrumental C GEm C G Verse 7 Am9 Em9Em C G Verse 8 C GEm C G Outro C GCG etc.

8. Time Signature/Rhythms Basically in 12/8 (4 beats in a bar) the singer sings in 12/8, but sometimes the hi-hat plays on every other quaver so it also feels la bit like 6/4.

9. 2 more things The melody is based on the pentatonic scale. E G A B D or G A B D E The song ends with a fade out.

10. Lyrics The lyrics are in Scots Gaelic. Words in italics are ‘nonsense’ syllables Chuir m’athair mise dha’n taigh charraideach Hi ri huraibhi o ho ‘N oidhche sin a rinn e bhanais dhomh O hi a bho ro hu o ho

11. Lyrical Meaning The lines of the verses are taken from a 13 th century lament called ‘Sethan, Son of the King of Ireland’. It’s about a girl who is unhappy with the marriage her Father has arranged for her.

12. Waulking? A stage in traditional clothmaking. Woollen cloth/tweed was cleaned, thickened & softened by this process. Women pounded the cloth against a table or trampled on it. Women sang songs to pass time & keep the rhythm of the pounding.