[lyrics, translation & facts for the 3rd song from our album >here<]
Kreñv ‘veld ar garantez means “as strong as love can be“, is a tragic-romantic song (a young man choosing to let himself dye so that he can be with his beloved one again) that we both treasure, for many reasons.
The song itself is best know as Iwan Gamus, this version being recorded in 1959, and is part of wonderful and incredible Marie-Josèphe Bertrand‘s repertoire. When recorded, she was over 70 (she died in 1970), and still, she had a powerful and very expressive voice. She’s quite well-known among Breton singers, and a CD from her has even been recently released:
When Yann started to work on this song, there was also a big part of magic and mystery. Indeed he didn’t intend to “work” on this song, he got the idea of the all musical part, and when almost all the structure was done, sounds, rhythms, and the little saz notes. Then he remembered about this song, played it together with his composition… and that was it!!! You can hear her voice at 4’34.
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Instruments used : Turkish saz & programming
Keñv ‘veld ar garantez
Iwan Gamus a Blouvino
Eo ‘r glac’haretañ mab ‘zo er vro
Eo ‘r glac’haretañ mab ‘zo er vro
A-greiz kano ha c’hwitellad
Ac’h ae da gas e saout d’ar prad
Ac’h ae da gas e saout ya d’ar- prad
A greiz kano…
E kreiz c’hwitellad ha kano
Komañses e fri diwedo
Ajen a reas war ur men gwenn
O c’hortoz e c’hoar vari da dremen
O c’hortoz e c’hoar vari da dremen
****
Ma c’hoer Vari din a laret
Peseurt neventiz a poe klevet
Peseurt neventiz a peus klevet
Neventiz awalc’h am eus klevet
‘vid lakaad ho kalon baour glac’haret
Ho muiañ karet a zo nouet
Gant an hent braz, pan avañse
Gweloud a rae an dud, ar veleien,
ar veleien gwisket en gwenn
Da gas e dous sa Sant Jelven
Da gas e dous sa Sant Jelven
Iwan Gamus ya pa gleva
Sa Sant Jelven moned a ra
Sa Sant Jelven moned a ra
****
En Sant Jelven pa ‘n arruvas
War gornig he bez a daoulina
Razig e galon a ouela
Ma c’hoer Vari mar ma c’haret
Gwele ma c’habinet a riet
Gwele ma c’habinet a riet
Zavet ma breur dag alese
Merc’hed awalc’h a gavit c’hwi
Stang eo merc’hed en Plouvino
‘veld ar sablenn war an heñchoù
c’hwi ‘zo yaouank hag a gavo
****
Ma n’eo ket graet, o, graet anezhañ aes
Kar birviken ne deuin er-maez
Nemed ur wech da liano
Hag ur wech all da intero
Vimp laket en ur beziad
Pa n’omp pas bet n’ur gweliad
Pa nonpas bet n’ur gweliad
Vimp eurujet gant Doue
Pa n’omp pas bet gant ar c’hure,
Pa n’omp pas bet gant ar c’hure
As strong as love can be
Iwan Gamus from Plouvino
Is the more afflicted boy in the country
Singing and whistling
He was leading the cows to the fields
He was singing and whistling
When he started to nosebleed (*)
He set on a white stone
And waiting for his sister Mary to come over
****
“Mary my sister will you tell me
What kind of news have you heard
– I heard some
That will sadden your heart
Your beloved one just passed away”
Walking forward on the main road,
He saw the crowd and the priests
The priests dressed in white
To carry his beloved to Sant Jelven
When Iwan Gamus heard that
He headed to Sant Jelven
****
When he arrived at Sant Jelven
He knelt down on the grave’s corner
And cried all his heart out
“Mary my sister if you love me,
You’ll prepare my bed in my room (**)
Stand up my brother,
You’ll find other girls
They are as many girls in Plouvino
As there is sand on the tracks
You’re young and you’ll find
****
If my bed is not ready, get it ready
Since I’ll never get out again
Only once to lie on the shroud
And once more to be buried
We’ll lie down in the same grave
Since we haven’t in the same bed
We’ll be united be God
Since we haven’t been by a priest
(*) this is how he “knows” something happened, he interpret it as a sign (bad in that case).
(**) according to me it as not really a “bedroom”, but it has been translated so into French, and so far I couldn’t find any proper explanation.
Hope you enjoyed! § Simone
. astrakan project . 