Dulaman

Dulaman
You'd never think that a song about seaweed could be so great! It's also surprising how many times it's been recorded. Coming from an Irish fishing song, It was first recorded by Clannad, an Irish folk group, in their native Gaelic (one of the six Celtic languages fyi). If you've heard of Enya, it may interest you to know that Clannad is mainly made up of Enya's brothers and sisters. She left to go solo in 1981 (says wikipedia anyway). According to native speaker gaeilge101 "The song used 2 types of seaweed as metaphors for 2 MEN one the father and the other the man who wants to marry his daughter".

Here's the English Translation from the original Clannad recording:

Seaweed of the yellow cliff
Irish seaweed
Seaweed of the yellow cliff
Irish Seaweed

Oh gentle daughter
Here come the wooing men
Oh gentle mother
Put the wheels in motion for me

There is a yellow-gold head
On the Irish seaweed
There are two blunt ears
On the Irish seaweed

We'll go to Newry
With the Irish seaweed
I would buy expensive shoes
Said the Irish seaweed

The Irish seaweed has
Beautiful black shoes
The Irish seaweed has
A beret and trousers

I spent time telling her the story
That I would buy a comb for her
The story she told back to me
That she is well-groomed

"What did you bring from the land?"
Says the Irish seaweed
"Courting with your daughter"
Says the stately seaweed

"You're not taking my daughter"
Says the Irish seaweed
"Well, I'd take her with me"
Says the stately seaweed.

Seaweed of the yellow cliff
Seaweed of the mountain
Seaweed from the sea
Seaweed.


Weird eh? Wait till you listen to the Anuna version! Anuna is a really amazing men's choir, also Irish. I strongly suggest listening to their version. 
Personally, my favorite of all the many recordings of Dulaman is Celtic Woman's which is performed live at Slane Castle. (TOTALLY not fair! I want to sing at a castle....)

Good stuff! We'll see you next time on: The BEST songs you've never heard!