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The Charm of the Selkie

from Liminal Paths by JoAnna Farrer

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about

Selkie stories and songs have been my favorite since I was a very little girl, and the lyrics and tune for this version came to me over a decade ago, while I was still a student at Juilliard. The "charm" mentioned in the title is a form of spoken spell, traditional in Scotland (as well as many other parts of the world,) that confers magical protection on a person or place. This type of protective spell is sometimes called 'saining' from the Scottish Gaelic 'seun' and 'sian' and the Old Irish 'sén' - "a protective charm."

The tune in the middle of the song is a waltz from Norway, titled Brustuens Avskjedsvals.

lyrics

The Charm of the Selkie
by JoAnna Farrer

A fisher was out, to mend his poor nets
Out in the dark waves, as the sun set.
He came on a white seal: white, wounded fair-seal,
his heart made him carry it home for to heal.

Next day he awoke and his eyes opened wide
Where lain the seal, now a fair maiden sighed
she spoke in a strange voice, spoke in a rare voice,
spoke in a lone voice, and this to him cried:

no spear shall strike you
no sea shall drown you
no thief shall wile you
no man shall harm you
Charms I will sing for you
joys they will bring to you
sweet like the waters
of Sule Skerry
sweet like the waters
of Skerry we knew.

They grew deep in love, and his heart opened wide
Offered his life and would make her his bride
she sang like the wild gulls, far-flying high gulls,
sang like the lost hills, and this to him cried:

No spear shall strike you,
no sea shall drown you,
no thief shall wile you,
no man shall harm you.
Charms I will sing for you,
joys they will bring to you,
sweet like the waters
of Sule Skerry -
sweet like the waters
of Skerry we knew.

No bride would she be, said “What’s captured must flee.”
Promised she’d stay and ne’er stray out to sea.
She kept still her seal-skin, fair lily seal-skin,
kept her white seal-skin, and this to him cried:

No spear shall strike you,
no sea shall drown you,
no thief shall wile you,
no man shall harm you.
Charms I will sing for you,
joys they will bring to you,
sweet like the waters
of Sule Skerry -
sweet like the waters
of Skerry we knew.


With child she now grew, and his mind filled with fear:
stories said no Selkie stayed past a year.
The waves were a torrent, his mind was a torment,
he tore her fair seal-skin, out by the sea.

That evening, no bride came home to his side;
out on the cliffs, a white seal he spied.
The wind sang her mourning,
the moon was a warning
and for the last time, she this to him cried:

No spear shall strike you
no sea shall drown you
no thief shall wile you
no man shall harm you
Charms you will sing for me
sleep you will bring to me
deep like the waters
of Sule Skerry
deep like the waters
of Skerry we knew.

credits

from Liminal Paths, released November 5, 2021
Music and lyrics: JoAnna Farrer

JoAnna Farrer, violin
Natalie Haas, Cello
Yann Falquet, guitar
Elana Low, harmonium
Shannon Heaton, flute and harmony vocals

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about

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JoAnna Farrer Vermont

JoAnna’s eclectic musical style encompasses traditional Scottish and Irish music, as well as the Classical music she has performed professionally since age 7. JoAnna’s debut album, 'Liminal Paths' (Nov 2021) features cellist Natalie Haas and guitarist Yann Falquet.
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A Juilliard graduate and current member of the NJ Symphony Orchestra, JoAnna has performed and recorded around the world. ... more

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