øyvind staveland • kolbein falkeid • david mindel
With original lyrics by norwegian poet Kolbein Falkeid and composition by member of Norwegian group "Vamp" Øyvind Staveland, translated - or rather rewritten - into English by David Mindel, Japanese artist Emi Fujita made a great version after Vamp touring Japan in 2001 and collaborating on Fujita's debut solo album "Camomile". The original Norwegian version was released in 1993.
"Tir n'a Noir" is the modern equivalent to "Tir na Nóg" : the Irish equivalent to the Greek "Elysium" i.e. Paradise, or in Celtic more like "land of the youth". Falkeid is personifying an old sailor dreaming about his lost Irish love or late Irish wife. The tune itself is remarkably Celtic.
it is cold November and the sea crashes in
but I still do remember though the memory grows dim
to a magical summer with sweet Mary McKear
in the west : in Tir n'a Noir
were you there as a dream though it all seems so real
with the laughter I hear and the touch I can feel?
far beyond the horizon where the fog disappears
you were mine my Mary McKear
though my body's broken and my spirit is weak
my soul is awoken as I hear someone speak
"welcome back my lover : now your future lies here
welcome back to Tir n'a Noir"
"you were good : you were kind • you'll have all that you earned
for the secrets you kept and the lessons you learned
so I'll take you with me as your pain disappears
I'll be yours : your Mary McKear"
for all who have lived through a life of regret
who have need to remember but try to forget
there’s a place in the distance who’s future is clear
in the west : in Tirna Noir
were you there as a dream though it all seems so clear
with the laughter I hear and the touch I can feel?
"I can cure all your sorrows and heal all your fears
I’ll be yours : your Mary McKear"
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
A Amaj7 Dmaj7 E9 it is cold November and the sea crashes in A F#m Bm7 E7 but I still do remember though the memory grows dim A Amaj7 Dmaj7 E9 to a magical summer with sweet Mary McKear A E7 A in the west : in Tir n'a Noir A F#m Bm7 E9 ...E7 were you there as a dream though it all seems so real A F#m Bm7 E9 ...E7 with the laughter I hear and the touch I can feel? A Amaj Dmaj7 E9 far beyond the horizon where the fog disappears A E7 A you were mine my Mary McKear
