Two Steps From Hell - Merethe Soltvedt

You're in for a real retreat to escape the norm of our everyday drama.  Merethe Soltvedt (pronounced Maretta Soul-tvet) has teamed up with Two Steps From Hell to record a song that was sampled around 2000 but in this version, the song is named 'Friendship To Last'.  The original song title and meaning is as follows;  Ailein Duinn ("Dark-haired Alan") is a traditional Scottish song for solo female voice, a lament that was written in Gàidhlig for Ailean Moireasdan ("Alan Morrison") by his fiancé, Annag Chaimbeul ("Annie Campbell").  Ailean Moireasdan was a sea captain from the Isle of Lewis.  In the spring of 1788, he left Stornoway (Lewis and Harris) to go to Scalpay, Lewis and Harris, (Northwest of Scotland) where he was to marry Annag Chaimbeul ("Annie Campbell").  Unfortunately, they sailed into a storm and all the crew sank with the vessel.  The broken-hearted Annag wasted away through grief and composed this lament for her lost love.  Annag lost her will to live and died a few months afterward.  Her body was washed ashore near where her fiancé was found.

Even though this is a sad lost love song, one could only hope to be loved so much.  Merethe Soltvedt sings this song in Scots Gaelic language and her voice is just in the purest of heat for such a song.



Lyrics:

Scots Gaelic Language

Gura mise tha fo éislean
Moch sa mhaduinn is mi 'g éirigh

Sèist:
Ò hì shiùbhlainn leat
Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì
Hì ri bhò hò rinn o ho
Ailein Duinn, ò hì shiubhlainn leat

Ma 's e 'n cluasag dhut a' ghaineamh
Ma 's e leabaidh dhut an fheamainn

Ma 's e 'n t-iasg do choinnlean geala
Ma 's e na ròin do luchd-faire

Dh'òlainn deoch ge b' oil le càch e
De dh'fhuil do choim 's tu 'n déidh do bhathadh


English Translation

How sorrowful I am
When I rise early in the morning

Chorus (after each verse):
Ò hì, I would go with you
Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì
Hì ri bhò hò rinn o ho
Brown-haired Alan, ò hì, I would go with you

If the sand be your pillow
If the seaweed be your bed

If the fish are your candles bright
If the seals are your watchmen

I would drink, though all would abhor
Of your heart's blood after you were drowned

Merethe Soltvedt