Loreena McKennitt- The Bonny Swans

[Josi5260]

the song is a wonder:*

[welcome2mylifemusic]

I love this song

[sagastardust]

So much song given with love, I thank thee.

[Hayden279]

My mom gave me this CD when I was about 8.. and I honestly haven't listened to this for years. Hearing it now.. I still remember every single sound.

It never ever gets old, does it? It's really that unique.

[reezaim]

pleasing ....simply superb...!

[ghjohnas]

magic

[MrJuno6]

Guitar player needs to understand the concept of vibrato. like a Steve Rothery or a David Gilmour or Mike Oldfield at his best. This is verging on awfull, sorry. Wow just had a thought Loreena McKennitti/David Gilmour album? I'm already excited !

[antqav8r]

Guitar style is always a matter of choice and personal liking. The Guitarist (Brian Hughes) is using a 70's Strat with early EMG pickups and he is "dueling" with Hugh Marsh on violin. The amount of distortion and vibrato he uses in this song (as well as in other with LM songs) fits perfectly; more vibrato would be distracting and wouldn't accompany the violin well.

[cutekitten741]

emily and john the children of lir bonny swans. emily is a irish princess and this borthers and sister in to a beaufiul swans by evil sepmother a boy john the story keepers animated at night emily and john is a witches the king name nemo who love emily a brave man name king arthur who save jesus by this man soon arthur died emily and john is save emily and nemo was marry forever.

[GoodVibesOfficial]

♪♫♥ !

[MrLucilio79]

Ich liebe dieses Lied. Viele Grüsse an alle!

[Elliemcel]

I love the story in this song... so sad yet beautiful..

[turksmikey]

she sounds lika swan choking on a whistle

[ListeningforGod]

@turksmikey

A turk..ey would think that :)

[turksmikey]

@im not a turk im as english as morris dancing ListeningforGod

[ListeningforGod]

@turksmikey American slang, old american, and I'm not even american born, haha....play on words.  I was referencing birds, not ethicities. And in my opinion, she has the voice of a song bird. Perfect pitch and great range. If you don't appreciate her, why do you listen?

[turksmikey]

@ListeningforGod  im more country n western that probably explains it

[RockAngel7878]

I love her songs sooo much

greetings from Kuwait =0)

[camposi]

Loreena `s the best - there´s only Karen Matheson and Maire Brennan to touch on her!

[AllyKari1]

My God. I heard this song in English today- had no idea it was Loreena. I've heard another one or two songs from her, and they're all amazing. I'm now going to thoroughly explore her music. It's so beautiful.

[1993RMP]

Her's is the only music that can move me to tears, i dream of her songs

[Mr112211223344]

Simple. Beautiful. Peacefull.

[KNeu21]

I was raised with Loreena's music in the house, and I feel I'm a better person for it. Every time I hear her unique voice, I am taken back to my childhood. Thank you for posting this.

[tomokogirl2000]

anyone know if she'll ever tour again?

[flux688]

this is the song that convinced me to buy this album

[moviedirectorliol]

@flux688 An absolutely wonderful piece of music. I like a lot of the things she does. This is one of my fav's.

[ginkiba3]

The tune is so cheery but the lyrics are depressing.

I love it.

[Maggiesalsa]

I love L.M, this song and the highway man are heart breaking but still they are so damn good!!!!. This woman is a miracle!! BTW, those 6 idiots who don't like it must have several mental problems!

[marijotango]

@Maggiesalsa I guess you are right!!!!! :)))))

[LastUnicorn286]

who would give this song a thumbs down!!!!!!!!!! :S

[jmatts78]

The song, and consequently the whole album, is responsible for breaking my "death metal only" phase when I was a teen. Thank you LM! :D

[piscean60]

turns my blood cold- love it-

[MademoiselleTruand]

I'm a bit confused. First her father is the farmer, then he's the king? I'm not knocking the song or anything (I personally love it), it's just a bit confusing for someone as slow as me.

[Otakuzero]

@MademoiselleTruand she is referring to what might have been, she may have married a prince i think....but her sister drowned her so she could marry him instead.

[IRedefinePulse]

@MademoiselleTruand - I believe the lyrics change because she was encompassing the various versions of this one particular tale. Apparently, it has many translations and different stories told in each, yet the root of it remained the same.

[MademoiselleTruand]

@IRedefinePulse That's an interesting theory! It's a good way to stay loyal to each telling, then, since fairy tales are so prone to change due to the point of view during telling and the setting.

[Jourell1]

@MademoiselleTruand it isn't just a theory, its known that she used pieces of different variations of the song to create her version. this is a very old ballad, dating back to at least the 1650s (at least according to wikipedia) so its no surprise there are so many versions. but you're right it is a great way to stay true to the basic root of the story

[xoxoMandieRosexoxo]

My favorite song of hers ^ ^

[mstrsskttn]

This is by far my favorite Loreena McKennitt song. It gives me chills every time I listen to it. The way she is able to relate emotion through her songs is amazing. Whenever I need to escape modern, hectic times I only need to listen to her music. It never fails to transport me to another time and place.

[ishouldplayzelda]

my ears are bleeding with happiness

[ishouldplayzelda]

the voice of a goddess

[Boingusboingus]

She sounds like Kate Bush.

[Terephiel]

She calls the king her father because he's just that - her father. (: This song combines several variants of the ballad "The Twa Sisters." The sisters, Isabel and Anne, were princesses courted by a knight named William. He leaves Anne for her sister, which causes Anne to kill her later. William then tries to marry Anne, but Isabel's soul powers the harp and she reveals her sister's crime. I've personally always thought William was just toying with them, but that may just be me.

[pianissimo5]

My my, what jealousy does to people! This song is awesome, and so is Loreena McKennitt.

[Elynde]

Yes, I'm pretty sure she calls the King her "father" because she and William were married or to be married.

[top1terra1girl]

Dose anyone notice that she says in the begininning " A farmer there lived in the north country... And he had daughters one two three" then at the end, when talking as the youngest daughter, she call the king her father "And there does sit my father the King". Anyone wanna explain this.

[samanosuke987]

@top1terra1girl I always thought that william was the one that she was ment to marry as he was the only one that she didn't call a family member. She call the king her father because he was ment to be her step father when william and her were marred. I might be wrong though.

[luna4ever36]

can it get more hauntingly beautiful? I absolutely love folk songs, and this is just lovely. Can anyone recommend more?

[Boingusboingus]

@luna4ever36

I strongly recommend Clannad's album Dulamann. If you like this, you'll love that.

[sgpost]

timeless music

[enrico383]

I have been in a conzert last year in Hamburg she is so amazing her voice her charisma I was falling in love to her ....

[Leona8033]

I really love this song really love it

[quinn244]

I Love this song!!!!!!!!!

[XXberanXX]

I love this woman and her voice...Long Live Loreena ( LLL )

[XXberanXX]

I love this woman and her voice.....Long Live Lorena....( LLL )

[DimitrisMPapadakis]

Her voice wouldn't sound nearly as good in the refrain without the backing from the other woman. But the song is truly amazing, indeed.

[piper42]

@DimitrisMPapadakis The backing woman is her! :) Isn't she amazing? :D

[ericrseverson]

@DimitrisMPapadakis The other woman is her.

[AKVAEL]

my fav song! so amazing, Loreena!!!

[pliatsik]

when the voice starts....i ve the goosepumps....

[sinsraven]

This song is sooo beautiful live! Especially on her Live in Paris and Toronto CD.

[Leona8033]

Wonderful song my voice is just like hers.

[Vrakas666]

normally listen to black metal!

but loreena really touches my heart!!!!!!

so fuck off and hailz!!!!!!!!

[dani010402]

@Vrakas666 I COULD SAY THE SAME..I LISTEN TO VENOM AND SO ON..BUT LOREENA IS LOREENA, UNDERSTAND? GREETINGS FROM BRAZIL!

[hajixsaroyalovaXD]

I love the artist herself I heard her though my Celtic music that I love so much. She has the most lovely voice, I have heard besides my first fav. artist Enya.

[danali130887]

story line for this track is very deep

[FuxiSmile]

Ein außergewöhnlich schönes Lied, mit einem unheimlich guten Fluß der Melodie und sehr wehmütig stimmend.

[TheLokitablanca]

wonderfull! me encanta! i liebes!

[Greyspirit13]

what was this ven about... and i believe that's an electric violin...

[BeterGaJe]

I Like this, but its get an creapy invludes on me:P

[weidbachmika]

this was the first, I heard of her on a german radio-station in the early '90s

since then I never missed a cd-launch

[marcoszanolla]

caráio!!! que puta música!!!

[lopescone]

this song song goes straight to THE SOUL .....refined passion deep sadness and an incredible revenge through music .....all about a Harp ....while she is..... not playing it.......... in this majestic epic song ......sheer musical amazament when violin and electric guitar start echoing each other...marvellous .....tear inducing ...beauty .......

[peanuts8]

yeah i agree

[lopescone]

it is the amazing of coupling of electric guitar and acoustic violin that echo`s the theme of the two swans ,,,,two type of sounds from different sources coming perfectly to gether.....incredible intensity and lovely riffing especially towards the end ....a true gem ......Thanks AJ Mussic girl ...you have made me very happy .....one of my all time favourites....

[rockybigballs89]

the guitar solo goes so well i love it great song

[beazyboots]

I recently saw Loreena perform in the lovely town of Stratford (where she lives) in a breathtaking church. It was my little girl's first concert and we were fortunate enough to meet this talented & gracious lady...I still get goose bumps thinking of it!

[xe0nno]

ok music elves rules

[LunaKanamari]

So prettty, but very creepy, as well!

Why would anyone make a harp out of some random person's back-bone?? 0.0

[ShakespeareAndOpera]

breast-bone, actually

[pheenix42]

Once upon a time, a music channel here in the US used to play the video that was produced for this song...loved it tremendously!

Guess it's the Celtic blood in me! :-)

[Greyspirit13]

the grass on this half of the misic world is greener.

[Chuloloc]

Awesome. One of Loreena's signature songs. The swans swim so bonny o.

[mountianman]

I've only seen her once...at the Edmonton Music Fest many years ago...I've been enthralled ever since....

She literally changed my outlook on life...

[Talondas]

Though I have never seen her in person, her voice still rings in my heart. I know how you feel Calmmind1. Just listening to her, no matter the medium, brings me to tears.

[Calmmind1]

Went to see her in concert in Glasgow many years ago.Spent the whole time with tears streaming down my face.........reached places nobody else could ever reach.Would travel to the end of the earth to feel the depth of emotion she hit that night.Loreena..........you are a true lady and take the storm away.

[IRedefinePulse]

@Calmmind1 - I was fortunate enough to see her on stage during the Ancient Muse tour... Ah, at long last, to -see- and hear this ethereal being weave her magic... I had a similar experience. From the moment the spotlight framed this incredible woman, I could not keep the tears from running. <3

[MegaRobertosan]

@Calmmind1 What a similar experience I had - and what a wonderful description of your feelings you've given here. Chapeau! I've seen LMK live in Zurich a few years ago - it was magic too. By chance, I heard this morning the inspiring music of Fernando Ortega - and just ordered three CDs. (The song was called "If I flee on morning wings" of the album "The Breaking of the Dawn". Hope, you'll like it - best regards, Robert

[vintagezigg]

I so enjoy escaping into her world.

[mergaman4]

Beyond compare

[AF100d]

As lovely and haunting today as it was so many years ago.....I'm captivated.....

[jbshintaro69]

yea nahh loreena goes back a long way...right 2 the fucking stoneages still good song tho...

[lenaya221422]

wow, I've heard the story before, but I love the song..it's amazing, and eerily haunting, like all of hers^-^

[MrLucilio79]

I listened to Loreena MCkennitt since twenty years ago, She's really nice. God bless her!! Viele Grüsse aus Berlin.

[thebeadfairy]

TY for the music, now, where did I put that cd?

[xXoYuukiCrossoXx]

I have her discs from Night at Alhambra and I've never understood why she sang it shorter. There's no way to cut this story without losing the meaning and feeling. IT's such a lovely and haunting story. Thank you so much for putting this up.

[seanthomascram]

i have her live cd. i am writing a book and i listen to her stuff while writing, it really helps my imagination flow

[MrLucilio79]

Hallo an alle!! Ich will sagen, daß ist genial Loreena Mckennitt. Ich habe alle Platten von ihr.

[Birdramon2]

My father made me listen to this song when I was about 5. It was my favourite. Now I'm 14 and I still LOVE it!!!

[Racheengel777]

my father made me listen when I was 5, too (:

I'm now 17 and this is awesome ...

[OcToBeR321]

hehe, same thing here !

[MrsDarcy79]

This i call talent!!!! Her songs make me cry, sing, dance, dream and think.

[lucydarkrose]

In other words her songs make you live :D

[501W]

great guitar work!!!

[shinigamikitty]

There are many songs with a similar story to them about a sister's greed for want pushing her to kill the younger sister who is most fair.... amazing songs ^^

[imwhisper2u]

drown me for the sake of a man..........

[pumitabsas]

beatiful beatiful beatiful song.. remind me so many beatifuls momments of my childhood.. i can`t believe it, the last time that i listened this song was longg longg time ago.. thanks so much to up this song.. makeme cry..

[imwhisper2u]

I love this song too. I'm curious, where did you here this song when you were younger? Was this story part of your culture, who told it to you?

[pumitabsas]

i`m from argentina, nobody here listen loreena, actually now i`m living in Budapest and at 22 june loreena will come here, and of course i will be there. when i was a little child my mom everytime spent so many hours listening loreena`s songs, and this was one of her favourites.. i don`t know.. i remember before the dinner at night listening this song.. remind me so many things when i was a child.. it`s magic..

[vivilaflaca]

cómo que nadie escucha a loreena en Argentina? yo la escucho desde hace casi 20 años y mis hijos adoran su música. No tiene la popularidad de otros, pero los que la escuchan se enganchan para siempre. Saludos desde Mar del Plata!!!! Aguante Loreena!!!!!

[Jambrosia3]

Which fairy tale is it?

Nierusu: back in those days they used to call their in-laws father, mother, brother etc. That's not the farmer family she's talking about.

[lordhelmit3]

this was my first favorite song ever dad played it when i was 5 never stoped loving it. 18 year old guy whos into bodom speaking

[gilney36]

lindo!!

beautiful.

[rogerstan]

I believe the original ballard is quite old and possibly of norse origin.

[sealforvr]

Lorena dated it to 17th century Scotland, but most think it's french, possibly brought with Mary Queen of Scots French entourage. Versions in France date to the 11th century. The names are all French or Norman- Hugh, William (Guillaume) and Anne. Also, back then swans symbolized death since they were thought to hold the souls of the drowned.

[durangokid55]

i've loved Loreena since introduced to me by a very dear friend from England.

thanks to J.

[Nierusu]

This song is truly beautiful but i dont understand the meaning of the lyrics at all.

Why does the harper make a harp from her dead body?

why is the farmer family a royal family at the end?

And what actually happens at the end?

Does the dead woman tell her family about her murderer?

It would be really nice if someone could answer these questions^^'

[karatepanda13]

Okay, I'm gonna do my best to answer your questions...

The first one, I guess, is because he wants to share her story? Perhaps? The second one, I have no idea. The third, the harp the harper made from her body tells the story to her parents and siblings, so that everyone pretty much figures out who killed her.... and I think that answers your fourth question. Sorry, it's not perfect, but I hope it helped a little.

[demonicchild13]

the lyrics are from an old faery tale I believe. In the story, a farmer had two daughters and the youngest was going to be married to a prince. They went walking by the river and the eldest pushed the youngest in. Then the eldest didn't help the youngest and she drowned, she floated by a mill, they thought she was a swan, but a harper made a harp from her bones. He was playingat a the wedding of the eldest daughter to the prince. The harp told the youngest daughter's song condeming the eldest.

[druidsfoot]

McKennitt is a True Bard of Old.

Respect and honor to her.

[jackiehallam62]

That very good Celtic music.

[Statri01]

Thanks for posting this. I absolutely LOVE this song but I have a hard time finding her CD's. Same with All Souls Night.

[piper42]

Hi! I just wanted to ask you if you've tried getting them on amazon(dot)com that's where I've gotten mine. Oh and also from her website. QuinlanRoad her whole discography is there including rare eps etc! I hope you find her albums! They are a blessing!

:D

[delicateblu]

Love this tale! Love it!

JM

[matteocotz]

e ke uomoooooooooooooooooooooooo

[dekassini]

Conoce más sobre ésta canción en: unaantiguamusa blogspot com

[azniterion]

live is somehow better

[BooKittyRadley]

Odd, but true.

[Delgift]

I guess that`s because of how the music is arranged for live performances. They`re more direct and sound with a lot of energy, even the mellow songs like Stolen Child, Dante`s Prayer, etc.

[montaigne79]

¡¡La música de McKennitt es sensacional!!

[coyote0song]

I just bought two of Loreena's CDs new on ebay because she has such an incredible voice and her songs are incredibly beautiful...to say the least!

[voightkampffnexus]

Such a beautiful song...

Just The Highwayman in more emotionally...

Havent heard it for looong time...

Thanx

[Baumi777]

Grossartig!

[jopie3434]

Great song, Great lrics too :D she is amazing :)

[Derannimer]

Thanks for putting this up; you're right, this is much better than the shortened one.

[mjau101]

thank you for putting in the whole song!(^.^)

[CelticRose1]

Love this song!