A friend has asked me to translate https://youtu.be/cJRIx-AmWOM
It’s Native son by Oysterband, and apparently they often sing the first verse in Welsh at gigs.
It sounds good. I can’t work out words in English songs never mind my second language, as I’m a bit deaf. Andit’s my birthday tomorrow and I have severe man flu, I’m feeling grumpy and sorry for myself which is why I think I can have a lazy pass and request help! But mainly it’s a new band to me and I thought others would be interested. Any translation to sais gratefully received
There is an Enlisg translation here http://www.oysterband.co.uk/lyrics/songs/Native_son.html
But I don’t know if it matches up. I think I caught ‘cadair’. I’ll have to wait until Helen comes home with functional Eustachan tubes!
I haven’t listened to the Oysterband for years, so was really intrigued by this post. I remember pogoing at a gig in my formative years! But had no recollection of anything being sung in Welsh. This song isn’t among my collection. Granite Years was a favourite back in the day but I digress. I’ve had a listen to Native Son and this is what I’ve managed but I’m sure someone with more Welsh than me (not difficult) will do better. They seem to have picked bits from the song to put together the Welsh version rather than just replicating it.
xx rhai xx xx rhedeg xx ddod
Xx rhai xx hapus roi fydd xx xx xx
Xx xx xx xx gadair xx saith yn xx
Mae’r plant yn mynd tybeth yn gofyn pam
Geni Xx fi y ddeud y gwir xx fwy
Cofia fi, cofia fi
Xx xx xx y pethau ddylai wnes,
Cofia fi rwyn dal yn fab i’r/y wlad
Cofia fi, rwyn dal yn fab i’r/y wlad
Ooh mab i’r wlad
Ooh mab i’r wlad
I haven’t been able to pick out every word clearly, but here’s what (I think) I got -
Gan fedrai hi aredig caeau ddof
Gan fedrai hi hapus lwyth bydd hi’n crwydro’r ffordd
Plygais y bwa a gad air yn saeth yn wir
Mae’r plant yn mynd, ti byth yn gofyn pam
Gannwyd fi i dweud y gwir a ffoi
Cofia fi, cofia fi
Oll am serth y pethau dylwn nes
Cofia fi rwy’n dal yn fab o dad
Cofia fi rwy’n dal yn fab o’r wlad
O mab o dad, O mab o dad
edit - the English translation you’ve linked to above is quite close but not word-for-word (often happens like this - it doesn’t scan otherwise!)
Ganwyd rhai i aredig caeau ddol - some were born to plough the meadow fields
Ganwyd rai i hapus lwyth byth i grwydro’n ffôl - some were born to a happy tribe, never to wander stupidly
Plygais y bwa a gadael y saeth (yn wir? yn wych?) - I bent the bow, an let the arrow (…? true / brilliant?)
Mae’r plant yn mynd, ti byth yn gofyn pam - the children go, you never ask why
Gannwyd fi i ddweud y gwir a ffoi - I was born to tell the truth and flee
Cofia fi, cofia fi - remember me x2
Oll am serch y pethau dwl a wnes - All for love, the dull things I did
Cofia fi rwy’n dal yn fab y wlad - remember me, I’m still a son of the country (= son of the soil)
Cofia fi rwy’n dal yn fab y wlad
O mab y wlad, O mab y wlad
I’m not sure if I would have got that without the Siaron’s first version above and even then, most of it was helped by seeing the English original.
