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Tous - Lliwiau Enaid (Soul Colours)

from Eurdy by Hanner Chant

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about

I first wrote this song in 1997... in English. It was originally called "To Show You Me" - and the chorus went; "I will paint my face with the colours of my soul... to show you me... to show you me."

The original recording was on my 4-track cassette recorder, with me playing guitar (rather badly). In the years that followed, I recorded different versions with several different musical collaborators... but was never quite happy with it. So I recently decided to transcribe it into Welsh, which was an interesting experience...

I couldn't directly translate, word-for-word, as the new syllables wouldn't fit - so I had to think of different ways to convey the same message. For example, in the chorus in this version, I am literally now singing (in Welsh): "I am painting my face with the soul's colours. See who I am... who I am" - or "who am I?", depending on how you want to read it... I like the ambiguity of the phrase, which wouldn't work in English.

Essentially, the song is about authentic self-expression and the desire to be loved just as you are, without having to change to meet expectations...

I prefer singing this song in Welsh. Though I'm just a learner, so (after I'd already recorded it), I did panic slightly when my neighbour - who's a first-language Welsh-speaker - said that I'd been singing the Welsh word for "spoons" ('lwyau') instead of "colours" ('lliwiau')... thankfully, he was only teasing! Though, if I had got it wrong, "Soul Spoons" could have been interesting...

Another thing I prefer about this version (which is my favourite) is that it's in the key of A flat/ G sharp... and there's a bit of a controversey about that, because they are apparently not the same note! Check out this interesting music theory on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGEXJe3px68

lyrics

Y dydd wnes i gwrdd â ti
Anghofiais gelu fy hun
Ti syrthiodd mewn cariad â fi
Pan welsoch fi

Dw i’n paentio fy wyneb
Gyda lliwiau’r enaid
Gweld pwy ydw i
pwy ydw i

Dw i’n cau fy llygaid
A’ch teimlo’n agos i ti
Dw i’n meddwl llawer am sut yr
Dw i’n teimlo am ti
Mae llais y tu mewn i mi yn dweud
fod hyn yn wir
Dw i’n caru ti…
Dw i’n caru ti
- Ydw dwi’n!

Mae fy nghalon gyda ti am byth
A chadwaf eich rhai ti
Mewn lle diogel iawn
Yma gyda fi

Dw i’n paentio fy wyneb
Gyda lliwiau’r enaid
Gweld pwy ydw i
pwy ydw i

credits

from Eurdy, released June 4, 2019
Tony Browne: guitars, bass
Mark Davies: cello
Alex Matthews: piano
Hanner Chant: vocal melody, lyrics

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Hanner Chant Wales, UK

Originally from “over the bridge” in Bath, Somerset, Hanner Chant (aka Karen Sawyer) has been writing songs for the best part of 30 years. This album is a remastered collection of her favourite collaborations with some wonderful musicians in West Wales, Northern England, and the West Country. The earliest track on this album was recorded in the early 90s... the most recent in 2019. ... more

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