If you could fill a veil with shells from Killiney's shore And sweet talk in a tongue that is no more And if wishful thoughts could bridge The Gulf of Araby Between what is, what is, what is And what can never be If you could hold the frozen flow of New Hope Creek And hide out from the one they said you might meet And if you could unlearn all the words That you never wanted heard If you could stall the southern wind That's whistling in your ears You could take what is, what is, what is To what can never be One man of seventy whispers free at last Two neighbors who are proud of their massacres Three tyrants torn away in a winter's month Four prisoners framed by a dirty judge Five burned with tyres Six men still inside And seven more days to shake at the great divide The Gulf, the Gulf of Araby Well, we would plough and part the earth to bring you home And harvest every miracle ever known And if they laid out all the things That these ten years were to bring We would gladly give them up To bring you back to us O, there is nothing we would not give To kiss you and to believe we could take what is, what is, what is To what can never be One man of seventy whispers not free yet Two neighbors who make up knee-deep in their dead Three tyrants torn away in the summer's heat Four prisoners lost in the fallacy Five, on my life And six, I'm dead inside And seven more days to shake at the great divide The Gulf, the Gulf of Araby
Saw Natalie for the first time in July 2018 and was blown away. It was best concert I have been to ever and I'm 67! Her voice plucks your heart strings.
This is good, but the version on her LIVE CD is like nothing else you will ever hear. This one is good: the other one is unbeatable. Bring on the new album!
Strangely enough I prefer this version to the version on her Live CD. It's probably the acoustics that made the difference. But either way, Natalie Merchant is still equally amazing. I love her voice, it mesmerizes me. SO EXCITED ABOUT HER NEW CD :D
+Carlos VelezGreat performance by Natalie and Susan McKeown here of a great song-written by Irish singer-songwriter Katell Keineg.(Credit where it is due).
Thank you for pointing that out. I recognized the part about Mandela, but didn't know about the burning tires, neighbors who are proud of their massacre. I think you're making a reasonable assumption, but it's hard to be certain.
This is at least partly about the reconciliation after South Africa's apartheid, isn't it? The man of seventy years being Nelson Mandela, the five men in tires burning referring to the practice of executing apartheid collaborators by putting burning tires around their necks, and the two neighbors being the two sides in the conflict. Seems reasonable, given that Mandela was released in 1990, and this song was first released in the early 90's.
she is wonderful artist i love her voice and songs but this"golf of araby" is a kind of distortion of history. golf of araby is totally wrong . it is "persian golf".and if you are intrested to find more about persian golf please read history or go to history part of famous museum like "LOUVRE" .
Listening in 2024 - awesome
one of the best things I've ever seen
the most beautiful voice I have ever heard
angels can only dream of sounding as sweet and beautiful as natalie.
for real!
My wife and I have seen Natalie twice in Minnesota and recently at Kennedy Center in D.C. What a voice and a great human being😊
Nothing other than a work of art.
I'm amazed at how much sound the guitar player can bring to this song. A tapestry.
If you could fill a veil with shells from Killiney's shore
And sweet talk in a tongue that is no more
And if wishful thoughts could bridge The Gulf of Araby
Between what is, what is, what is
And what can never be
If you could hold the frozen flow of New Hope Creek
And hide out from the one they said you might meet
And if you could unlearn all the words
That you never wanted heard
If you could stall the southern wind
That's whistling in your ears
You could take what is, what is, what is
To what can never be
One man of seventy whispers free at last
Two neighbors who are proud of their massacres
Three tyrants torn away in a winter's month
Four prisoners framed by a dirty judge
Five burned with tyres
Six men still inside
And seven more days to shake at the great divide
The Gulf, the Gulf of Araby
Well, we would plough and part the earth to bring you home
And harvest every miracle ever known
And if they laid out all the things
That these ten years were to bring
We would gladly give them up
To bring you back to us
O, there is nothing we would not give
To kiss you and to believe we could take what is, what is, what is
To what can never be
One man of seventy whispers not free yet
Two neighbors who make up knee-deep in their dead
Three tyrants torn away in the summer's heat
Four prisoners lost in the fallacy
Five, on my life
And six, I'm dead inside
And seven more days to shake at the great divide
The Gulf, the Gulf of Araby
Who else can bring tears and a swollen heart with the sound of her voice alone?
Saw Natalie for the first time in July 2018 and was blown away. It was best concert I have been to ever and I'm 67! Her voice plucks your heart strings.
such a beautiful song. Natalie is gifted completley beyond words
Great performance by Natalie and Susan McKeown here of a great song-written by singer-songwriter Katell Keineg (credit where it is due).
Welsh/Breton singer-songwriter
Since the moment I heard this it's held a special place in my heart.
I stumbled across this song because of the name reminding me of a book and have been hooked ever since.
Thank you for this memory moment
The reference to the Gulf of Araby comes from a James Joyce short story and refers to
Ireland... Google is our friend.
Lim Am one of my favorite pieces of literature in college.
This is good, but the version on her LIVE CD is like nothing else you will ever hear. This one is good: the other one is unbeatable. Bring on the new album!
JAYTMUSIC... I am with you on this one. Brings tears to my eyes everytime!!
@SelenaeMoon
You may thank Katell Keineg, who wrote and performed it originally.
Her voice is like butter!!!
I love Natalie and her voice, and this song!
I have to agree that the version on the Live CD is absolutely amazing! I'm so excited to hear she has a new album coming out!
Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Love her voice and how she pours everything into her music. I don't think she wrote this song, but she still owns it.🎶🎼🎤🎧
yes yes yes ! CANNOT wait till the new natalie merchant album comes out ! will be waiting in line ...
Love, love, love her!
Our little Ophelua is all grown up.
a wonderful song her voice can bring tears
Amazing performance by both singers!
Speechless.. but I will say this.........
This is one of my FAV songs!
One of my favorite songs.
this song is a bridge for me
I love this song!!!!!
She is just truly amazing!
Amnesty International's Annual General Meeting in Washington is what this song reminds me of, and I know she sings these songs for the world.
Natalie vocal range is phenomenal. Unique to her abilities.
Beautiful
Excellent song!!
yes!! makes me cry everytime also!!!!
I Love this song...
I love Natalie's voice and music, but for some reason it always leaves me feeling a little sad and sentimental.
One of my favorite artists.
pure talent.
Love It Love It Love It
Natalie and Susan McKeown singing Katell Keinig's best tune... What could be better?
You must hear the rest of Katell's work. She made 3 phenomenal albums. She is incredible.
Wow, just wow!
Strangely enough I prefer this version to the version on her Live CD. It's probably the acoustics that made the difference. But either way, Natalie Merchant is still equally amazing. I love her voice, it mesmerizes me. SO EXCITED ABOUT HER NEW CD :D
Natalie has a new CD coming out in 2010. Check her website under the news section. It's with Nonesuch records.
I miss Sessions at West 54th!
A beautiful Katell Keineg song.
O Seasons O Castles 1994
pure emotion
amazing
Not a depressing feel, but her lyrics always lead to dark truths that have a better place at war memorials than circuses.
I like this version of the song best. Too bad it's not available on CD anywhere.
Susan McKeown is brilliant
do you also notice that her guitarist hasn't aged a bit since 1998? He's in her If No One Ever Marries Me video and looks just the same.
YES.
no one does it like her
Natalie is almost unknown in my area, hope I can see her at least here up to end of time...
Where is your home?
That's true for me too.
One of my favorite songs by far and Natalie's version is even better than the original though I don't think she has ever recorded it in a studio.
Katell Keineg wrote the song and originally recorded it. Both her version and Natalie's take are phenomenal.
love this song and natalie in general but verdi cries puts me to sleep
wow
Breathtaking rendition. Can someone let me know the name of the woman who accompanies Natalie in the song?
+Carlos VelezGreat performance by Natalie and Susan McKeown here of a great song-written by Irish singer-songwriter Katell Keineg.(Credit where it is due).
+Carlos Velez Susan McKeown is wonderful.
+Carlos Velez i've listened to a few different versions of this song.. keep coming back to this one because of how these 2 voices work together
+Steve Nell Yes. The voices meld perfectly. And really, anything with Ms. Merchant always goes to the top of my list.
this is her only song that can compete with Verdi Cries
Wish I knew these lyrics.😮
We are living these lyrics
Thank you for pointing that out. I recognized the part about Mandela, but didn't know about the burning tires, neighbors who are proud of their massacre. I think you're making a reasonable assumption, but it's hard to be certain.
Why doesn't she run for head of the UN?
Struggling to the tears, as usual
Gabriel Gordon as great as ever
This is at least partly about the reconciliation after South Africa's apartheid, isn't it?
The man of seventy years being Nelson Mandela, the five men in tires burning referring to the practice of executing apartheid collaborators by putting burning tires around their necks, and the two neighbors being the two sides in the conflict.
Seems reasonable, given that Mandela was released in 1990, and this song was first released in the early 90's.
persian gulf
she is wonderful artist i love her voice and songs but this"golf of araby" is a kind of distortion of history. golf of araby is totally wrong . it is "persian golf".and if you are intrested to find more about persian golf please read history or go to history part of famous museum like "LOUVRE" .
It's a poem. Poetry need not be literal.
Love Nathalie but this is a pale shadow of Katell Keinegs original
All are good.
pure joy to me
wow
Wow