Story Behind The Song
Based on W.B. Yeats' version of an ancient Irish Fairy Tale.The song tells the story of how King Lir married the beautiful daughter of his neighboring King. She bore him four children but died. His neighbor then offered her sister to King Lir who married
Song Description
A sad slow ballad with a medieval feel with lush strings and female vocal. The song tells the ancient tale of the Irish King Lir and the fate of his children who were turned into swans by their evil step-mother.
| Song Length |
4:16 |
Genre |
Folk - Contemporary, World - Celtic |
| Tempo |
Medium Slow (91 - 110) |
Lead Vocal |
Female Vocal |
| Mood |
Poignant |
Subject |
Baby, Children, Step Mother |
| Similar Artists |
Sarah Mclachlan |
Language |
English |
Lyrics
The Fate of The Children of Lir
Words and music by Gordon McLeod
Copyright 2000, 2002
Verse 1:
Soft float the mists from lake to shore,
Sad is the tale told o?er and o?er,
Children of Lir your woeful fate,
To swim as swans on mirror lake.
Beauty may seem a worthy prize,
But often wears a thin disguise,
A jealous heart, an evil fear,
Transformed the children of good King Lir
Chorus:
Fianuallu, Aod, Fiachra, Conn,
Nine hundred years your fate as swans,
No voice or harp can music bring,
To match the plaintive song you sing.
Verse 2:
A widowed king?s desire led,
Him to an envious beauty wed.
Her grace a darkened heart concealed,
Her curse did her true self reveal.
His precious children left in her care,
Did to the countryside repair,
Down to the lake for sport and game,
Her curse she placed, swans they became.
Repeat Chorus
Verse 3:
And Oh forlornly did they cry,
Across the lake, circling the skies,
Their father hearing of their fate,
Rushed madly, sadly to the lake.
Oh good King Lir, a tragic pain,
Within your heart now must remain,
No charm have you to end the spell,
No words your depth of grief can tell.
Repeat Chorus twice