Christy Moore - The Ballad Of Wandering Aengus

Christy Moore sings William Butler Yeats' Song of Wandering Aengus

I went down to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
I cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream,
And hooked a little silver trout.

When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire aflame,
When something rustled on the floor,
And someone called me by my name;
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossoms in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded in the brightening air.

Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands.
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and hold her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• The
• Song
• Ballad
• Of
• Wandering
• Aengus
• WB
• William
• Butler
• Yeats

[BigM1703]

A beautiful piece of poetry sung by a great singer. Tears in my eyes every time I hear it. Play it at my funeral for my darling wife.

[TheVillageRake]

@BigM1703

It had become a glimmering girl

With apple blossoms in her hair

Who called me by my name and ran

And faded in the brightening air.

[19bcm56]

donovan does a belter of this !!!! on h. m s .donovan if you can find it -tis better i think!!

[zephyrquartz]

I remember Christy Moore playing in Dublin pubs - Toner's and places like that - in the mid-70s for free. He was amazing back then and I was so surprised to hear such a fantastic performer in such places for free. It didn't last much longer, needless to say! What an incredible period in Dublin that was for music. Love this version of Yeats' poem. Didn't Donovan write the music - does anyone know?

[verbaud]

Christy Moore and Jean Redpath are the only two people who should sing this song. In my humble opinion.

[Sparkavich]

Irish man he was and some poet he was im proud to be irish and from belfast. Eire go Bragh!

[frbjoern]

This fellow has a way with music and with this song. Listening to him is like a spiritual experience.

[LindsayCurran]

I'm in agreement with jokerman - besides school, where we learned so many Yeats poems - have heard many versions sung - I like Christy's!

[jokerman105]

i've heard many versions of this .

christy's is far far the best

[TheLimberlostGirl]

I named my glorious Malamute (160 lb female!) Glimmering Girl.