W.B. Yeats - The Stolen Child

[drkahara]

At last I find a performance by a band and this performance is beatiful for William Butler Yeats's beautiful poem.

[Delgift]

I first heard this poem thanks to Loreena McKennitt. This is another very nice musical version of it, well done! : ) Like*

[PunkyPugilist]

I love this music and poetry, It challenges me. Now for an attempt at SL Video.

[Sierohr246]

It is more than a poem about a changeling- there is no talk of anyone coming back- saying the child has gone to live with the faeries is another way of saying that that child has drown. The beauty of the language and music makes that tragedy strike all the harder on the heart.

[smelharri]

it is also on an album by various artists doing their interpretations of yeats poems - fantastic album but as mine is a home-made copy a friend gave me, i can't tell you it's name or anything useful, sorry!

[smelharri]

it is also on an album of yeats poems translated into song by various artists - fantastic album but i only have a home-made copy a friend gave me so can't tell you it's name or anything else...

[PorkyPiggles]

The poem "The Stolen Child" written by William Butler Yeats in 1886.

He wrote the poem relating to old folklore in Ireland about Changelings.

Changelings being children who are taken by fairies whilst sleeping and replaced with the unwanted offspring of the fairies or senile fairies disguised as children.

Children that developed abnormalities were thought to be a Changeling.

The poem was adapted by Mike Scott of Waterboys and features spoken word by Tomás MacEoin

[GlasgowCeltic88]

PorkyPiggles,

Wow... thank you for this :-D

And thank you for watching and commenting

GC88

[PorkyPiggles]

No problem. I love this poem and Mike Scott managed to give it even more meaning. The soft Galway accent of Tomas Mac Eoin is perfect.

I understand Yeats had a huge interest in mysticism and the occult. I can see how stories about changeling's and fairies would have fascinated him.

I can think of this poem in two ways. The romantic mystical side. But also the trajic side. Of people looking for reason or meaning in why their children became ill. When nowadays we know about things such as Autism.

[jimiirish1]

You will find this song on their bestselling album Fishermans Blues. Thanks for posting..great song!!

[jimiirish1]

yes, this is the Waterboys, and they are excellent!!

[dentigoogle]

this is by the band 'the waterboys'.

It is the b side of a 12" they did in the early 1990's.