by Allister MacGillivray
(© Cabot Trail Music SOCAN)
Here is the tune as sung by Anne Murray.
Out on the Mira one warm afternoon,
Old men go fishing with black line and spoon
And if they catch nothing they never complain,
I wish I was with them again.
As boys in their boats call to girls on the shore,
Teasing the one that they really adore,
And into the evening the courting begins,
I wish I was with them again.
Can you imagine a piece of the universe
more fit for princes and kings?
I'll give you ten of your cities
for Marion bridge and the pleasure it brings
Out on the Mira on soft summer nights
Bonfires blaze to the children's delight
They dance round the flames singing songs with their friends;
I wish I was with them again.
And over the ashes the stories are told
Of witches and werewolves and Oak Island gold
The stars on the river they sparkle and spin;
I wish I was with them again.
Can you imagine a piece of the universe
more fit for princes and kings?
I'll give you ten of your cities
for Marion bridge and the pleasure it brings
Out on the Mira the people are kind,
They'll treat you to home-brew and help you unwind.
And if you come broken they'll see that you mend
I wish I was with them again.
And thus I conclude with a wish you go well,
Sweet be your dreams, may your happiness swell,
I'll leave you here, for my journey begins,
I'm going to be with them, going to be with them,
I'm going to be with them again.
Oh, what beautiful illustrations for the song.
John McDermott also does a great version of this song on his CD ‘A Day To Myself’.
Have to agree with above comment above John McDermott’s verison, but then again, it doesn’t matter who sings it, it’s just a nice song. Nice site, and I’ve not met a Newf I didn’t like!
My choir at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is doing a version of this song for our 2007 Spring Concert. I really enjoy the song and now that I see what it looks like I love it even more. I also enjoy Canada, it is so peaceful and natural.
a beautiful song
I am adapting some of the words asthe lyrics describeour youth on VALENTIA ISLAND COUNTY KERRY IRELAND perfectly
VALENTIA ISLAND is joined to the mainland by VALENTIA bridge
very fiew words needed to be changed to describe life on our island
here are the changes
verse 1 line 1 out on the island on warm summer days
chorus line 3 ill trade you ten of your cities for VALENTIA bridge
verse 4 line 2 of faries and banshees the red and the gold
verse 4 line3 stars on the harbour they sparkle and spin
verse 5 line 1 out on the island the people are kind
verse 5 line 2 they’ll treat you to whiskey and help you unwind
slan leat
I love the song, and I’ve featured this site in the ‘Links’ section of our website.
My dad was born and raised in Glace Bay and New Waterford on the isle of Cape Breton. I was forturnate enough to visit as a child in my early years and then recently this past June 07. A Song For The Mira pulls at my heart strings every time I hear it and although I was never born there, this is the place I hope to rest.
the mira river is one of the beautiful place in the world
I was raised on the Mira during the summers of my younger years and all I can really remember is nothing but good times and laughter by the Bon Fires at night And Water events during ths days,Such as water skiing-Wind surfing,Tubbing & all the family always being around.Oh and I must not forget the wonderful summer neighbours who always had a good joke or story to tell and let us not forget the end of summer when we all said goodbye and wished everyone a healthy winter so that we would all meet again the following year out on the ‘MIRA’.
How I wish I was with them again!
I looked for this forever- what a wonderful job you have done with it. We have a wonderfully unique musical collection in Canada- thank you for helping us appreciate it.
Wendy
I was a part of the Garrison Brothers, a musical group who recorded “Song For The Mira” many years ago. I believe it was our version Anne Murray chose to cover and while we didn’t have the notariety or success with the song that others did, we made it accessible to them. I moved to Cape Breton in 1993 because that song spoke so loudly to me. 25 years later, I’m just a few minutes from the Mira where I continue to canoe and hike.
Did you travel in a time machine? 25 years from 1993 is 2018.
Carole (Gagnon) Hancock
This will be my funeral song when I die. I absolutely have been drawn to this sone for many, many years. I cry every time I hear it sung which is not often enough. Thanks to Anne Murray, you warm my heart.
I have seen much beauty along the road I travel.The past five years in bermuda. But,
The melody of this song begs my attention and the simple words (painting pictures) of a real place of real people, calls me home again and again. I visit the place I call home ( the place I am from), through the music and the words many times and I share my home with those who have never seen HER. I share my Bluenose home with my guitar and some times with just my harp. Song for the Mira, when I play it on the harmonia can bring the the stoutest caper to tears. And make the unknowing of the Mira believe it is a magical place.
Beautiful pictures of Cape Breton Island. The “pab” in my e-mail address stands for “Port-aux-Basques.” I never quite got to Marion Bridge, but I was within a couple of kilometers when I drove from Sydney to Louisbourg in 1977.