These Are My Mountains
by Jimmy Copeland
With its classic verses and chorus, I long thought this Scottish song to be traditional and only recently discovered that it was written by Jimmy Copeland. I first learned it during my first visit to the west of Ireland where it was sung to me by an Irish farmer in a local pub over pints. I loved the song and had made a field recording on my Sony Walkman (circa 1984). Upon my return home I began to decipher the song from the cassette and tried to write down the words. This was long before 'google' or the internet mind you, and had been sung for me in the gorgeous voice so thick with its Irish accent that even after a hundred listens at all speeds and volumes, it proved impossible for me to more than guess at the words. I was tortured because I am a believer in retaining original lyrics in trad songs and it irked me that I wasn't sure - but my love for it was so strong to sing it that I finally gave up and settled for what I thought I heard on the tape. Thus the beautiful song I was so keen to learn to sing became an innocent victim of "the folk process" and has now been sung with my flawed lyrics for all these years. I apologize with deep regret to the composer for this unintended revision of his words. With the aid of the internet the original lyric has come to light and - mercifully before passing them on yet again here, and in full recognition of the guilty fact that I have indeed sung these changed lyrics countless times since that dark winter night in County Galway, I hand you both sides of this treasure of a song written by Jimmy Copeland and modified by yours truly. -Kate
We play this song in A on our Now & Then CD. You can also find the uke version - with tab and music to print! - on You Can Play the Uke DVD2 on Homespun.
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The original (correct) lyrics as played in the key of G
[G]For fame and for fortune I [C]wandered the [G]earth And [C]now I've come [G]back to the land of my [D]birth I've brought back my [G]treasures [G7]but only to [dC]find They're less than the [G]pleasures I [D]first left be[G]hind CHORUS For these are my mountains and this is my glen The braes of my childhood will know me again No land's ever claimed me tho' far I did roam For these are my mountains and I'm going home and I'm coming home The berm by the road sings at my going by The lark overhead wings a welcoming cry The loch where the scart flies at last I can see It's here where my heart lies it's here I'll be free Kind faces will meet me and welcome me in And how they will greet me my ain kith and kin The night by the ingle old sangs will be sung At last I'll be hearing my ain mother tongue. |
.Kate's version of the lyric. We sing it in the key of A.
For fame and for fortune I wandered the earth But now I return to the land of my birth I brought back my treasures but only to find They're less than the pleasures I first left behind CHORUS For these are my mountains and this is my glen The days of my childhood, I'll see them again No land will ever tempt me, nor far will I roam For these are my mountains and I'm going home Just been by the roadsign and I'm going back The lark overhead wings a welcoming cry No longer the droll plight; once more I will see Sure, it's there that my heart lies There I would be Kind faces will meet me and welcome me in And oh! How they'll greet me back home again This night 'round the fireside, sad songs will be sung At last I'll be leaving from my old mother's hut |
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