Singer-songwriter music of the 1960s and 70s often focused on themes of authenticity, love, and nature, expressed through personal lyrics with folk-influenced accompaniment. Noticing the importance of similar themes to classical poetry (and the roots of the modern guitar in the ancient Greek cithara!), I decided to translate a singer-songwriter piece into Latin. The following is a loose English-Latin translation of “Rainbow River,” a song by British singer-songwriter Vashti Bunyan written in the late 60s during her horse-and-cart journey from London to the Hebrides.
Original Lyrics
The rainbow river is a laughing stream
down in a valley by a mountain that is pinetree tall
the rainbow river has a small boy fishing
with a worm and a jam jar by the waterfall
don't make a sound, don't disturb the ground
the biggest fish you ever saw is around
and the rainbow river gives a rainbow fish
as one small boy goes running proudly to his mother’s call
The stone-built farmhouse is a rough stone cottage
hiding close against the hillside, up a winding track
the stone-built farmhouse has a fair-hairedfarmer
wearing wooden shoes and building up a new haystack
run in the door, stand on the stone floor
the oven opens, there's the biggest loaf you ever saw
and the stone-built farmhouse gives a good, warm welcome
as he sits down in his armchair with a Windsor back
The magpie meadow is a glowing evening colour
sun is setting quietly and the boy is tired
the magpie meadow has a sparrow hawk
who hovers hanging on the wind, preying eagle-eyed
sit by the lantern, watch as the years turn
slowly bringing truth for every child to learn
and the magpie meadow darkens gently blue now
as the family sit, their faces lit by ember fire
Loose Translation
Fluvius Iris, rivus renidens
in valle apud montem proceritatis pini
fluvius Iris puerum gerit
piscentem ad cataractam verme ollaque
ne sonueris, ne humum turbaveris
piscis quem maximum umquam conspexisti instat
iam fluvius Iris piscem Iridi donat
dum vocatu matris quidam puer currit superbe
Villa lapidis, casa saxi
in clivo prope haerens, calle vago
villa lapidis agricolam flavum gerit
qui perones gestat et feni metam novam condit
intra limen curre, in pavimento sta
clibanus patescit, ecce panis quem maximum umquam conspexisti
iam villa lapidis excipit amice
dum in sella considit cum arcu formoso
Pratum picae colore vespertino fulget
sol occidit placide ac puer quietus est
pratum picae accipitrem gerit
qui in vento volitat, aquilino aspectu petens
ad lanternam conside, animadverte dum anni volvuntur
sensim veritatem discendam afferens puero cuique
iam pratum picae obscurum cyaneumque fit leniter
dum domus sedet, vultibus eorum illustratis igni favillarum
