> -----Original Message-----
> From: Matt Seattle [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: 31 October 2008 10:54
8< snip
> My question is, is there a meaning apart from the obvious in the
> notion of the Keelman going "oe'r land" in this song and in the title
> of the pipe tune?
Well, I can brainstorm 3 possibilities to get the ball rolling:
A: Walking from home to join a keel crew
B: Gone ashore to plant a mooring post
C: Returning home after death
I'm assuming A was the obvious one.
In support of B is the following line (in your ref. "He's gyen to moor the
keel, O!"). Or, more strongly, in 'Bonnie Keel Laddie'* ("He's geane ower
land, wiv a stick in his hand, T' help to moor the keel, o!"). But
contrariwise:
1: It implies the questioner is already on board
2: The question implies a longer time-span than such a task requires
Finally, considering the 2nd verse's gloomy answer, C may even be a
reference to (primarily Celtic) beliefs about:
1: Souls being unable to cross water
2: The homeward routes taken by the souls of deceased warriors
according to whether they died bravely or ingloriously
(the oft-misinterpreted heavenly 'high road' vs. underground
'low road' theme as embodied by the 'Loch Lomond' song)
Too fanciful ? Yeah, probably ! R&DFC
Cheers,
Steve Collins
* http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=9172
To get on or off this list see list information at
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
