Yma O Hyd

[Swiss Peter]

It has been done.

True story. I used to conduct a male voice choir in the valleys and I got them to learn Yma O Hyd. Other male voice choirs were singing it successfully with little fuss. Unfortunately, the choir I was with had quite a strong older right wing element. One refused to sing about Maggie as she was his hero. One English guy refused to sing it as he (wrongly) believed it was an anti-English song. A couple of others thought (wrongly) that it is a pro-independence song and thought we shouldn't sing it.

On the flip side, another choir I am currently with sing it regularly and have changed Maggie to Boris.

Yeah, I thought it probably had! Thanks, Eric.

[Swiss Peter]

It has been done.

True story. I used to conduct a male voice choir in the valleys and I got them to learn Yma O Hyd. Other male voice choirs were singing it successfully with little fuss. Unfortunately, the choir I was with had quite a strong older right wing element. One refused to sing about Maggie as she was his hero. One English guy refused to sing it as he (wrongly) believed it was an anti-English song. A couple of others thought (wrongly) that it is a pro-independence song and thought we shouldn't sing it.

On the flip side, another choir I am currently with sing it regularly and have changed Maggie to Boris.

Sorry, just read that again. Is the singer (and the song) not linked heavily with pro-independence then? Genuine question. Some stuff I was reading the other day suggested otherwise.

[The Lone Gunman]

A couple of others thought (wrongly) that it is a pro-independence song and thought we shouldn't sing it.

Considering it was penned by a former president of Plaid Cymru who has a conviction for defacing English language road signs, I assumed it was a pro-independence song of some sort. But to be honest it's difficult to work out what the lyrics are really supposed to mean. Maybe something gets lost in translation, but a fair percentage of it reads like gibberish to me.

[Hilts]

It has been done.

True story. I used to conduct a male voice choir in the valleys and I got them to learn Yma O Hyd. Other male voice choirs were singing it successfully with little fuss. Unfortunately, the choir I was with had quite a strong older right wing element. One refused to sing about Maggie as she was his hero. One English guy refused to sing it as he (wrongly) believed it was an anti-English song. A couple of others thought (wrongly) that it is a pro-independence song and thought we shouldn't sing it.

On the flip side, another choir I am currently with sing it regularly and have changed Maggie to Boris.

You should have found another choir.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

You should have found another choir.

I did.

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Considering it was penned by a former president of Plaid Cymru who has a conviction for defacing English language road signs, I assumed it was a pro-independence song of some sort. But to be honest it's difficult to work out what the lyrics are really supposed to mean. Maybe something gets lost in translation, but a fair percentage of it reads like gibberish to me.

And that's the point. It's not difficult to work out what the lyrics mean.

[Wash DC Blue]

Y

Shame you couldn’t hang on for the Swansea game. Safe trip

Thank You SP.

[splott parker]

Considering it was penned by a former president of Plaid Cymru who has a conviction for defacing English language road signs, I assumed it was a pro-independence song of some sort. But to be honest it's difficult to work out what the lyrics are really supposed to mean. Maybe something gets lost in translation, but a fair percentage of it reads like gibberish to me.

A stirring song, no doubt but it does seem like it was written by a 321 script writer.

[The Lone Gunman]

And that's the point. It's not difficult to work out what the lyrics mean.

Well it's got me. I'm not being facetious, I genuinely don't know what the lyrics are supposed to mean.

[cyril evans awaydays]

Well it's got me. I'm not being facetious, I genuinely don't know what the lyrics are supposed to mean.

Despite the best endeavours of others like Thatcher, the country established by Macsen, the Welsh Roman Emperor 1600 years ago is still here. Give or take a bit of poetic licence.

[blue matt]

If only songs were this simple, like in the old days

[The Lone Gunman]

Despite the best endeavours of others like Thatcher, the country established by Macsen, the Welsh Roman Emperor 1600 years ago is still here. Give or take a bit of poetic licence.

And some inclement weather, apparently.

[cyril evans awaydays]

And some inclement weather, apparently.

Doh, it wouldn't be Wales otherwise!

[JamesWales]

Sorry, just read that again. Is the singer (and the song) not linked heavily with pro-independence then? Genuine question. Some stuff I was reading the other day suggested otherwise.

This was talked about in another thread where I said I liked the song but suggested the FAW may not want to get too close on what is quite a partisan song politically in a climate in Wales that may get more political in coming years with the independence debate.

My interpretation is that it's very much about the Welsh language but the singer is very much about the Welsh language and independence so I still think the FAW should not get overly cosy.

[The Lone Gunman]

If the translation I've read is accurate, one section of the song goes as follows:

"Let the tears of the faint-hearted flow and the servile lick the floor."

So who does Dafydd Iwan regard as the faint-hearted and the servile?

That's followed with:

"Despite the blackness around us, we are ready for the breaking of the dawn!"

What is the blackness around us? And what does the line about the breaking of the dawn signify?

Another line says:

"Despite every Dic Siôn Dafydd...."

What does the song's author mean by that?

[blue matt]

Another line says:

"Despite every Dic Siôn Dafydd...."

What does the song's author mean by that?

they are a character in a poem of the Welsh satirical poet Jac Glan-y-gors

[cyril evans awaydays]

What does the song's author mean by that?

We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick
The crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder
As the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
The waiter brought a tray
And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale
She said "there is no reason"
And the truth is plain to see
But I wandered through my playing cards
Would not let her be
One of sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open
They might have just as well've been closed
And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale
And so it was that later

[Swiss Peter]

This was talked about in another thread where I said I liked the song but suggested the FAW may not want to get too close on what is quite a partisan song politically in a climate in Wales that may get more political in coming years with the independence debate.

My interpretation is that it's very much about the Welsh language but the singer is very much about the Welsh language and independence so I still think the FAW should not get overly cosy.

Thanks. I missed the other thread. I can see where you are coming from with this. It is what prompted my question really.

[The Lone Gunman]

What does the song's author mean by that?

Can't say I recall A Whiter Shade of Pale being sung at Welsh internationals, but I've missed a fair few in recent years.

[The Lone Gunman]

they are a character in a poem of the Welsh satirical poet Jac Glan-y-gors

I'm aware of that. But who is the author of Yma O Hyd referring to? Who are the 'Dic Sion Dafydds' as far as he and those who champion this song concerned? What is the context?

[cyril evans awaydays]

Can't say I recall A Whiter Shade of Pale being sung at Welsh internationals, but I've missed a fair few in recent years.

I thought you were struggling with the concept of lyrical interpretation not location. My mistake.

[delmbox]

Jesus Christ, overthinking this a bit aren't we some of you? 30000 Welsh people sing a song together, build up a brilliant atmosphere and have a great time, let's find some negatives

[JamesWales]

Can't say I recall A Whiter Shade of Pale being sung at Welsh internationals, but I've missed a fair few in recent years.

A whiter shade of Bale would sound quite stirring coming from the Canton end in full voice.

[JamesWales]

Jesus Christ, overthinking this a bit aren't we some of you? 30000 Welsh people sing a song together, build up a brilliant atmosphere and have a great time, let's find some negatives

Don't bring Jesus into it. He has enough going on with his first Christmas world cup coming up

[cyril evans awaydays]

Don't bring Jesus into it. He has enough going on with his first Christmas world cup coming up

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