X:1
T:The South Wind
T:(All The Tunes In The World, An Gaoth Andheas, I Have a Secret to Tell Thee, 
T:Southwind, The Wind From The South, The Southern Breeze.)
S:Trad. Irish - FF Version
R:waltz
M:3/4
L:1/8
R:waltz
N:There is a story behind this song, according to the Fiddler's Companion;
N:
N:O'Sullivan states that little is known of the author of the original Gaelic song, 
N:save that he was a native of Irrul, County Mayo, named Domnhall Meirgeach Mac Con 
N:Mara (Freckled Donal Macnamara). The late fiddler Junior Crehan (1908-1998) told a 
N:story about how the air was learned by the west Clare musicians. It seems that a 
N:ghost ship was bringing back to Ireland the souls of the Wild Geese (i.e. Irish 
N:exiles) who had been killed in battle. As the vessel proceeded around southwest 
N:Cork it was driven up the west coast by a southern breeze and the ghosts of the 
N:Wild Geese could be heard chanting this tune, which was picked up by musicians 
N:on the coast of Clare who witnessed the event. The song begins:
N:
N:A ghaoth andeas na mbraon mbog glas
N:A ni gach faithe féarmhar
N:Bheir iasg ir eas is grian i dteas
N:Is lion is meas ar ghéagaibh
N:Más sios ar fad mar mbinn féin seal
N:Is mianach leat-sa séide
N:Cuirim Ri na bhFeart dhod chaomhaint ar neart
N:'S tu/ir don tir sin blas mo bhéil-se
N:
N:***
N:
N:O wind from the south with the soft clear drops
N:You that make every sward grassy
N:Bring the fish to the waterfall, give heat to the sun
N:And abundance of fruit to the branches
N:It is far to the north where I once lived
N:That you are minded to blow
N:May the King of Power preserve you in strength
N:And give the taste of my mouth to that country
N:
N:And from the Session;
N:
N:Lyrics
N:
N:South wind of the gentle rain, you banish winter weather
N:Bring salmon to the pool again, the bees among the heather
N:If northward now you mean to blow, as you rustle soft above me
N:God speed be with you as you go and a kiss for those that love me
N:
N:From south I come with velvet breeze, my word all nature blesses,
N:I melt the snow and strew the leas (meadows) with flowers and warm caresses;
N:I'll help you to dispel your woes, with joy I'll take your greeting
N:And bear it to your loved Mayo upon my wings so fleeting.
N:
N:My Connaght famed for wine and play, So leal, so gay, so loving,
N:Here's my fond kiss I send today, Borne on the wind in its roving.
N:These Munster folk are good and kind, Right royally they treat me,
N:But this land I'd gladly leave behind, With your Connaght pipes to greet me.
N:
N:And Finally there is this - also from the Session;
N:
N:South Wind, Ewan McVicar version
N:
N:The lyrics I referred to were written by Ewan McVicar. This is what he says about it:
N:"The All The Tunes In The World air is an amended version of The South Wind - key 
N:difference is that the original has more notes at the end of each line, and in some 
N:phrases. The song was written for Jim Daily, who would not stop playing tunes at 
N:closing time - when at last he did he would start to 'diddle' the tunes to me, while 
N:the publican told me to stop him! The publican could tell that there was no use him 
N:trying to talk sense to a fiddle player, but I play guitar so am clearly more sensible. 
N:My lyric as given above, except that I wrote and sing 'playtime is done', not 'o'er', 
N:which was Janet Russell's amendation in her wonderful recording of the song. By the 
N:way, the 'gantry' is the frame behiond the bar where the bottles and glasses hang. 
N:Best regards." Ewan
N:
N:All the tunes in the world
N:(Ewan McVicar)
N:
N:Lay down the borrowed guitar
N:Lay down the fiddle and bow
N:You'd like one more drink from the bar
N:But the manager says you must go.
N:
N:CHORUS:
N:And all the tunes in the world
N:Are dancing around in your head
N:But the clock on the gantry says playtime is o'er
N:You'll just have to sing them instead.
N:
N:Lay down the jig and the reel
N:Lay down the planxty and slide
N:Everyone knows how you feel
N:But there's no time to take one more ride.
N:
N:The barmaid has put on her coat
N:And the barman has emptied the slops
N:The manager's pals are afraid
N:The music will bring in the cops.
N:
N:Everyone here feels the same
N:Oh yes, you deserve one more tune
N:But you know the rules of the game
N:It's time to go howl at the moon.
P:AABAAB
K:G
dc |:\
"G"B3A G2|B3c d2|"D7"A3B A2|A4 d2|"G"B3A G2|"C"E3D E2 |
"G"G4 "C"G2 |1 "G"G4 dc :|2 G4 (3def || "G"g2 g2 "D7"af | "C"g2fg "D7"ef | "G"d2 d2 "A7"e^c | "D"d4 "D7"c2 |
"G"B3A G2 | B3c d2 | "A7"A3B A2 | "D"A4 (3def | "G"g2 g2 "D7"af | "C"g2 fg "D7"ef|
"G"d2 d2 "A7"e^c | "D"d4 "D7"c2 | "G"B3A G2 | "D7"A c3 F2 | "G"G3 A "C"G2 | "G"G4 |]