Mountain Rose (2015)

Track List:

1. Queen of Argyll (by Andy M. Stewart)

2. The Bandit

3. I Courted a Sailor (by Kate Rusby)

4. Cat in a Bush

5. The Boatman’s Call

6. St. Anne’s Reel

7. Grace O’Malley

8. Mountain Rose Waltz

9. Auld Lang Syne

10. Chaos in La Casa

11. All Through the Night

12. It Was Beautiful

 1. Queen of Argyll (Andy M. Stewart, arr. Gothard Sisters)

Greta Gothard: guitar, bass, cajon, vocals
Willow Gothard: violin, octave mandolin, vocals
Solana Gothard: vocals, bodhran, whistle

This classic song by Andy M Stewart tells the story of a young man who has become enamored with a fine lady he may or may not have ever met before. He gushes to his friends about her while also telling them to stay away - he wants to have her all to himself. All while being very poetic about it, of course. We arranged it in an upbeat “on the road” style with lively fiddle, whistle and bodhran. 

Verse 1
Gentlemen it is my duty / to inform you of one beauty
Though I’d ask of you a favor not to seek her for a while
Though I own she is a creature / of character and feature
No words can paint the picture of the Queen of all Argyll

CHORUS
Oh if you could have seen her there / boys if you had just been there
The swan was in her movements and the morning in her smile
All the roses in the garden / would bow and ask her pardon
For not one could match the beauty of the Queen of all Argyll

Verse 2
On that evening that I mentioned / I passed with light intention
Through a part of our dear country known for beauty and for style
In the place of noble thinkers / of scholars and great drinkers
But above them all for splendor shone the Queen of all Argyll

Verse 3
So my lads I needs must leave you / my intention’s not to grieve you
Nor indeed would I deceive you, oh I’ll see you in a while
I must find some way to gain her / to court her and to claim her
I fear my heart’s in danger from the Queen of all Argyll

 2. The Bandit (W. Gothard)

(Tune Names: The Bandit / The Farmer’s Market)

Greta Gothard: fiddle
Willow Gothard: fiddle, Irish dance
Solana Gothard: djembe, percussion

This set of raw fiddle tunes is one we perform frequently live, featuring only drums and percussion as backup and live Irish dance taps. The first tune, “the Bandit” describes a raccoon character Willow pictured while she was writing it. The raccoon (“Rosalind”) is a robin hood character who rides around on horseback, saving people. The second tune is dedicated to our many summers of busking at farmer’s markets and to all the lovely vendors who paid us for our hours of music-making with bags of fruit, bread, cheese and flowers.

 3. I Courted a Sailor (Kate Rusby, arr. Gothard Sisters)

Greta Gothard: violin, guitar, cajon, vocals
Willow Gothard: mandolin, vocals
Solana Gothard: vocals, octave violin, bass

Kate Rusby’s well-loved song about a sailor and his sweetheart back home. This song tells the tale of a young woman who is engaged to a sailor. She waits for him to come home for months on end until they are finally married and he doesn’t go out to sea anymore, which makes her happy. 

Verse 1
I courted a sailor for six months and many
I courted a sailor now he is far from me
I courted a sailor for six months and many
I courted a sailor now he is far from me
On a fine Summer’s evening he said his heart was grieving
On a fine Summer’s evening these words he said to me

CHORUS
I’m bound for the waves, the waves dearest Annie
I’m bound for the waves, the waves upon the sea
I’m bound for the waves, the waves dearest Annie
I’m bound for the waves, the captain calls me

Verse 2
My heart has been yours now for six months and many
My heart has been yours now and will always remain
My heart has been yours now for six months and many
My heart has been yours now and will always remain
Take with you my ring and my heart you’ll always bring
Take with you my ring when you sail away to sea

CHORUS

Verse 3
I’ve married my sailor for six months and many
I’ve married my sailor now he is safe with me
I’ve married my sailor for six months and many
I’ve married my sailor no more he’ll say to me

CHORUS
CHORUS

 4. Cat in a Bush (W. Gothard)

(Tunes: Cat in a Bush / Stealth)

Greta Gothard: guitar
Willow Gothard: fiddle, mandolin
Solana Gothard: whistle, bodhran

Willow wrote this eccentric set of fiddle tunes after observing a cat in the neighborhood. Every year, without fail, this cat would come and sit in one of the glorious lavender bushes in the garden and completely flatten it. Which was annoying but also cute. The second tune “Stealth”, which is distinctly frantic, describes what happens next: chasing the cat out of the bush. 

 5. The Boatman’s Call (G. Gothard)

Greta Gothard: guitar, cajon, vocals
Willow Gothard: octave violin, bass, vocals
Solana Gothard: vocals, djembe, percussion, dulcimer

The mood of this dreamy love song is meant to capture the feeling of being on a river in the woods. Even the percussion of the shaker and swell of the octave violin are meant to evoke the feeling of water swells and the hum of insects found near the water. The story is a chance love story - two young people who meet the loves of their lives without even trying, just by lucky happenstance.

Verse 1:
The boatman works alone / it’s the only life he’s ever known
A young man in life alone / across the river every day
He ferries settlers o’er the rushing cool / carries merchants through the rapids cruel
Even royals in their crown and jewel / across the river on his own

CHORUS
Ya - da da da, a young man tall
Ya - da da da, ya da da da da da
Ya - da da da, the boatman’s call
Ya - da da da, ya da da da da da

Verse 2
The young woman lone she goes / gathering flowers where the river flows
She is lovely as the mountain rose / and she needs passage on her way
She needs crossing late in emerald May / sitting golden in the creak and sway
Our young boatman gave his heart that day / across the river going home

CHORUS
Ya - da da da, a young man tall
Ya - da da da, ya da da da da da
Ya - da da da, for this girl did fall
Ya - da da da, ya da da da da da

Bridge
Their world was set, planned, always they would be
They didn’t fret, no, not like you and me
Their world was small, there, near the river free
Then came this fine, grand, tale of he and she

CHORUS
Ya - da da da, this girl did fall
Ya - da da da, ya da da da da da
Ya - da da da, for the boatman’s call
Ya - da da da, ya da da da da da

Verse 3
And now they are not alone / their lonely life by one has grown
Now they are not alone / they cross the river every day

 6. St. Anne’s Reel (Traditional Folk, arr. Gothard Sisters)

Greta Gothard: fiddle, guitar, bass
Willow Gothard: fiddle, brush cajon
Solana Gothard: fiddle

St. Anne’s reel is one of those traditional folk tunes that is so widely played that no one really knows what its true country of origin is. Many countries have tried to claim it. But it’s such a standard that we wanted to put a bit of a twist on it. This arrangement is laid-back and features fiddle solos for everybody.

 7. Grace O’Malley (G. Gothard, W. Gothard, S. Gothard)

Greta Gothard: guitar, drums, bass, vocal
Willow Gothard: fiddle, vocals
Solana Gothard: vocals, bodhran, recorder

Grace O’Malley (or Grainne O’Malley) is a legendary historical figure from the 1600s, roughly around the same time that Shakespeare was writing his plays. She was a famous sea captain in her own right, met Queen Elizabeth, and legend has it that she was also a fierce pirate. But how did all that begin? When we were looking into writing a song about her, we found this story (which might be true, or just a legend, who knows?) that when she was only nine years old, she saved her father and his crew from pirates - paving the way for her future life at sea. 

Verse 1
Sunrise in the window, a vessel in the bay
Her father was the captain, and he would sail today
She fed the kitten and the hen, jumped the gate and then
She cut off her hair, found shoes to wear, to look like one of the men
Her father he made fun - oh no what have you done?
I know you’d love to come my dear, but Grace - you’re far too young
And he said:

No woman sails the sea, they would become weak at the knee
Stay here, be safe, on Erin’s shore just listen here to me
For you it cannot be, there are dangers out on the sea
Stay here, be safe on Erin’s shore just listen here to me

Verse 2
She felt the sun on her face, the waves beneath her feet
Her father stood beside her laughing at his own defeat
She washed the cannon and the gun, jumped the stairs and then
The captain roared a warning: all hands on deck my men
Get down below my lass he said, this danger too shall pass
My men and I will defend the ship and you will be safe at last

CHORUS
I will tell you a story of a girl young and bright
Red sky at night was her favorite light
Of saltwater, danger and true bravery
And the day Grace O’Malley first sailed the sea

Verse 3
Gun fire overhead, dust fell to the floor
Grace refused to stay below and crept out of the door
She climbed the rigging and the mast, looked behind and then
A man behind her father came, a pirate with dagger in hand
She leapt down from the mast, her cry alerted the crew
Onto the pirate’s back she fell, before he ever knew
Here was an answer to their prayers, victory was theirs
She saved the ship from pirates and she saved her father’s crew
And they said:

This woman sails the sea, she won’t become weak at the knee
She is the pride of Erin’s shore, just listen here to me
For her it will always be a life upon the sea
She is the pride of Erin’s shore, just listen here to me

CHORUS

 8. Mountain Rose Waltz (W. Gothard)

Greta Gothard: violin, guitar, bass
Willow Gothard: mandolin, violin, cajon
Solana Gothard: octave violin

A tentative and sweet country waltz, written for long warm Summer’s nights. Waltzing in a field, at a festival, at a wedding. This waltz is a chance for the violins and mandolin to shine and everyone to play the waltz for dancers everywhere.

 9. Auld Lang Syne (Traditional Scottish, arr. G. Gothard)

Greta Gothard: guitar, drums, violin, vocals
Willow Gothard: fiddle, bass, vocals
Solana Gothard: vocals, violin, bodhran, percussion, harmonica

Auld lang syne is traditionally a song for the New Year. It’s remembering the old days and old friends as we move into the next chapter. Our arrangement is a bit more upbeat and energetic than the standard. We kept the beginning closer to the traditional mood but then kick this into full folk-rock mode with the fiddle tune at the end. The fiddle tune is written based on the melody of the classic song. 

Verse 1
Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne

CHORUS
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne

Verse 2
And here’s a hand, my trusty friend, and here’s a hand ‘o thine
And we’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne

CHORUS

 10. Chaos in La Casa (W. Gothard)

(Tunes: Mañana Mañana / Chaos in La Casa / Maria and Gary’s Jig)

Greta Gothard: guitar, bass
Willow Gothard: violin, mandolin
Solana Gothard: bodhran, percussion

A quirky set of fiddle tunes with a Spanish flair. These tunes describe the happy chaos of a busy household full of kids and a day full of things to do. Everything will be fine if you can just embrace the chaos! Featuring active bodhran, fiddle and mandolin. 

 12. It Was Beautiful (G. Gothard)

Greta Gothard: guitar, cajon, bass, violin, vocals
Willow Gothard: violin, vocals
Solana Gothard: vocals, percussion, violin

This song is about perspective. Many of the things which are annoying, difficult or boring to some are precious to others. And many things that we complain about could actually be quite beautiful if we chose to see it that way. 

Verse 1
A group of men sat ‘round the fire / telling old tales ’til the midnight hour
Along came a stumbling little girl / dancing around with a smile
Her ma came running fast in her wake / sorry kind sirs for that headache
The group of men then a plea did make / please don’t take her away

CHORUS
We thought it was beautiful - oh, oh
We thought it was beautiful - oh, oh
We thought it was beautiful 

Verse 2
Walking through an ancient space / young lads say what is this place?
Fading light through windows cold / the whole thing seems too old
But a woman there, she seems so wise / with a nice young face and loving brown eyes
Lads don’t like the ancient place / but she goes there everyday

CHORUS
She thinks it is beautiful - oh, oh
She thinks it is beautiful - oh
She thinks it is beautiful - oh, oh
She thinks it is beautiful - oh - hey!

Verse 3
Climbing down from the mountains high / Danny’s father gave a tired sigh
Well me boy, that’s it I’m done / sweating all day in the sun
The mountain’s never worth the pain / climbing all day and with what gain?
His little son then a sound did make / and Danny he did say

CHORUS
I thought it was beautiful - oh, oh
I thought it was beautiful - oh, oh
I thought it was beautiful - oh
I thought it was beautiful - oh
I though it was beautiful

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