Story Behind The Song

A folktale from Donegal, Ireland. A woman befriends two small red haired fidllers who in turn give her the magical ability to play wild music.

Song Description

A folktale from Donegal, Ireland. A woman befriends two small red haired fidllers who in turn give her the magical ability to play wild music.

Lyrics

Red Haired Boys
Words and Music by Gordon McLeod
© 2002

Come listen close and I?ll tell you a tale of magic and mirth and of sorrow
Of a lass with a yearning for musical learning but talent could not beg or borrow.
So she sat by the fire consumed with desire, she vowed she?d learn music or die,
She called to the Old Ones to grant her request and in despair she cried.
By magic, two wee red haired boys came hearin? her cryin? so sadly.
They came playing lightly with fiddles so small, playful and wise they came gladly.

Chorus:Tunes magic tunes, they taught her the tunes, old ones that no one remembers.
Danced, how they danced under the moon as the wind blew the stars in December.

The lass so amazed that her wish that they gave she rewarded them well,
With tea and jam and cakes so sweet for their music and the gift of their spell.
But no one could see how their music so free could be also a chain and a fetter.
Play she could play like the fairies they say, no one in the county played better.
But the wish of this lass as the years they did pass was to pass on the gift of the tunes.
So full of strange turns that they couldn?t be learned so she died grieving and all alone.

Tunes magic tunes, they taught her the tunes, old ones that no one remembers.
Danced, how they danced under the moon as the wind blew the stars in December.

.

At her wake it is said they came grieving the dead, those two wee red haired boys.
They played a slow air and then wild reels a pair and danced wild and free on her grave.
The story is told that the lass then arose, awake from her death sleep so quiet,
Played her fiddle all night with the red haired boys around their gay fire so bright.
The legend goes on that took her along to their home of her own free will.
In the deep fairy wood they live happy and good and it?s said she?s there now playing still.

Tunes magic tunes, they taught her the tunes, old ones that no one remembers.
Danced, how they danced under the moon as the wind blew the stars in December.

Playlist Creator	Playlist Name	Date Added
Scott Sizzle	My Top Songs	9/10/2007