I have almost all her albums. Two of her CDs have actually worn out and don’t play well anymore so I need to replenish my stock. I hadn’t listened to her in a while, but I quickly found my way back to her when Standing Stones (also from Parallel Dreams) played on my IPod. I suddenly realized McKennitt was referencing the standing stones on the Orkney Islands I saw with Mom last Fall. And of course the song took on an entirely different meaning for me with the visuals in cue.
In
one of these lonely Orkney Isles
There dwelled a maiden fair
Her cheeks were red, her eyes were blue
She had yellow, curling hair
Which caught the eye and then the heart
Of one who could never be
A lover of so true a maid
Or fair a form as she
Across the lake in Sandwick
Dwelled a youth she held most true
And ever since her infancy
He had watched those eyes so blue.
The land runs out into the sea
It's a narrow neck of land
Where weird and grim the Standing Stones
In a circle there they stand.
One bonny moonlit Christmas Eve
They met at that sad place
With her heart in glee and the beams of love
Were shining on her face
When her lover came and he grasped her hand
And what loving words they said
They talked of future's happy days
As through the stones they strayed.
They walked toward the lovers' stone
And through it passed their hands
They plighted there a constant troth
Sealed by love's steadfast bands
He kissed his maid and then he watched her
That lonely bridge go o'er
For little, little did he think
He wouldn't see his darling more.
Chorus:
Standing stones of the Orkney Isles
Gazing out to sea
Standing stones of the Orkney Isles
Bring my love to me
He turned his face toward his home
That home he did never see
And you shall have the story
As it was told to me
When a form upon him sprang
With a dagger gleaming bright
It pierced his heart and his dying screams
Disturbed the silent night.
This maid had nearly reached her home
When she was startled by a cry
And she turned to look around her
And her love was standing by
His hand was pointing to the stars
And his eyes glazed at the light
And with a smiling countenance
He vanished from her sight.
She quickly turned and home she ran
Not a word of this was said
For well she know at seeing his form
That her faithful love was dead
And from that day she pined away
Not a smile seen on her face
And with outstretched arms she went to meet him
In a brighter place.
There dwelled a maiden fair
Her cheeks were red, her eyes were blue
She had yellow, curling hair
Which caught the eye and then the heart
Of one who could never be
A lover of so true a maid
Or fair a form as she
Across the lake in Sandwick
Dwelled a youth she held most true
And ever since her infancy
He had watched those eyes so blue.
The land runs out into the sea
It's a narrow neck of land
Where weird and grim the Standing Stones
In a circle there they stand.
One bonny moonlit Christmas Eve
They met at that sad place
With her heart in glee and the beams of love
Were shining on her face
When her lover came and he grasped her hand
And what loving words they said
They talked of future's happy days
As through the stones they strayed.
They walked toward the lovers' stone
And through it passed their hands
They plighted there a constant troth
Sealed by love's steadfast bands
He kissed his maid and then he watched her
That lonely bridge go o'er
For little, little did he think
He wouldn't see his darling more.
Chorus:
Standing stones of the Orkney Isles
Gazing out to sea
Standing stones of the Orkney Isles
Bring my love to me
He turned his face toward his home
That home he did never see
And you shall have the story
As it was told to me
When a form upon him sprang
With a dagger gleaming bright
It pierced his heart and his dying screams
Disturbed the silent night.
This maid had nearly reached her home
When she was startled by a cry
And she turned to look around her
And her love was standing by
His hand was pointing to the stars
And his eyes glazed at the light
And with a smiling countenance
He vanished from her sight.
She quickly turned and home she ran
Not a word of this was said
For well she know at seeing his form
That her faithful love was dead
And from that day she pined away
Not a smile seen on her face
And with outstretched arms she went to meet him
In a brighter place.
Romance
and tragedy played out amongst ancient standing stones. How can that not be infectious?
Perhaps
my most favourite of all her adaptations is her version of Tennyson’s Lady of Shalott.
One of my favourites *forever*:
Down she came and found a boat
Beneath a willow left afloat
And round about the prow she wrote
The Lady of Shallot.
And the beautiful and haunting Dante’s Prayer:
When the dark wood
fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone
I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Then the mountain rose before me
By the deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and fire
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars
Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Please remember me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone
I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Then the mountain rose before me
By the deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and fire
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars
Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares
Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Please remember me
It is poetry to music. Enjoy this Canadian treasure.
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