UNIT 5
LET'S GO TO PLAY
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LESSON THREE

Mull of Kintyre
by Paul McCartney

Mull of Kntyre is a peninsula in western Scotland. Paul McCartney, one of the Beatles components, used to go there in a farm he and his family owned. He decided to dedicate a song to this place and he wrote this song in 1977. It was a number one hit song.

Read this text written by Paul McCartney

“It occurred to me that no great Scottish songs had been written for quite a while. I looked into it: all the bagpipe stuff was from the previous century and some of the popular folk songs were really old and, I noticed, written by Englishmen. I wondered if I could write one, too. I certainly loved Scotland enough. So, I came up with a song about where we were living, an area called Mull of Kintyre. It was a love song, really, about how I enjoy being there and imagining I was travelling away and wanting to get back to it”.

This article appeared in Section 2 of The Scotsman, an Edinburgh broadsheet, October 31, 2002.
Extracted from Wingspan: Paul McCartney's Band on the Run, published by Little, Brown

http://www.geocities.com/strathspey_junkie/makingmullofkintyre/index.html

Activity 1

1. Translate the text into your own language. Write only the idea the author expresses.
2. According to the text, which of the statements below are True.

a. There were good Scottish songs those days.
b. Scottish songs were being composed for Englishmen
c. Scottish were old fashion
d. The lyrics of this song were about the nostalgia to be abroad

Activity 2

After having read the author's idea, what do you guess the lyrics are going to talk about? Use these patterns

I think

The days the author was in Scotland

It might talk about
About his childhood
I believe it's going to talk about...

About the days he used to be in Mull of Kintyre

   

 

Activity 3

Read the lyrics and tell you partner if you have had to change your mind.

Box 1

MULL OF KINTYRE
By Paul McCartney

Mull of Kintyre Oh mist rolling in from the sea,  
My desire is always to be here oh Mull of Kintyre.  

Far have I travelled and much have I seen  
Dark distant mountains with valleys of green.  
Past painted deserts the sunset's on fire   
As he carries me home to the Mull of Kintyre.  

Mull of Kintyre Oh mist rolling in from the sea,  
My desire is always to be here oh Mull of Kintyre.  

Sweep through the heather like deer in the glen  
Carry me back to the days I knew then.  
Nights when we sang like a heavenly choir  
Of the life and the time of the Mull of Kintyre.  

Mull of Kintyre Oh mist rolling in from the sea,  
My desire is always to be here oh Mull of Kintyre.  

Smiles in the sunshine and tears in the rain  
Still take me back where my memories remain  
Flickering embers grow higher and higher  
As they carry me back to the Mull of Kintyre. 

Mull of Kintyre Oh mist rolling in from the sea,  
My desire is always to be here oh Mull of Kintyre.  

Mull of Kintyre Oh mist rolling in from the sea,
My desire is always to be here oh Mull of Kintyre.

 

Activity 4

Listen to the music and place these combinations below in their right place. Each combination belongs to one verse or chorus of the song. Some of them can be used twice or more.

Guitar + vocal + bass
Guitar + 2 vocal parts + bass
Guitar + chorus + bass
Guitar + Bagpipes + drums + bass

Bagpipes + drums + chorus + guitar + bass

 


Activity 5

Write in the crescendos in the right place (Box 1)
Say in which verse you can hear the pedal note of the bagpipe? _______________

 

Activity 6

Look at this music chart below. You will find that this song is more complex and difficult than other songs you have learnt till now.

But, why is more difficult?____________________________________________
What is the weird thing in the song?_____________________________________

Introduction
A A A A

Chorus
A A D D
A A D D
A A A A

Verse 1
A A A A
D D A A
A A A A
D D E A

Chorus
A A D D
A A D D
A A A A

Interlude
D D G G, D D G G, D D D D
Verse 2
D D D D
G G D D
D D D(D)
G G A D (D)

Chorus 
D D G G
D
D G G
D D D D

Interlude
D D A A, D D A A
Verse 3
A A A A
D D A A
A A A A
D D E A
Chorus
A A D D
A
A D D
A A A A

Chorus 
D D G G
D
D G G
D D D D

Coda
D D A A, D D A A.....



Activity 7

Put the chords in the right place. Underline first the syllables accented and afterwards place the chords. The three first accented syllables are done for you. They are in bold.

Box 2

MULL OF KINTYRE
By Paul McCartney

Mull of Kintyre Oh mist rolling in from the sea,  A A D D A

My desire is always to be here oh Mull of Kintyre.  A D D A A   A A


Far have I travelled and much have I seen   A A A A

Dark distant mountains with valleys of green.  D D A A

Past painted deserts the sunset's on fire   A A A A

As he carries me home to the Mull of Kintyre.  D D E A   (A)


Mull of Kintyre Oh mist rolling in from the sea,    A A D D A

My desire is always to be here oh Mull of Kintyre.            A D D A A  A A A A

D D G G D D G G D D

Sweep through the heather like deer in the glen  D D D D

Carry me back to the days I knew then.             G G D D

Nights when we sang like a heavenly choir            D D D (D)

Of the life and the time of the Mull of Kintyre.       G G A D (D)


Mull of Kintyre Oh mist rolling in from the sea,     D D G G D

My desire is always to be here oh Mull of Kintyre  D G G D D

D D A A D D A A

Smiles in the sunshine and tears in the rain          A A A A

Still take me back where my memories remain      D D A A

Flickering embers grow higher and higher           A A A A

As they carry me back to the Mull of Kintyre.          D D E A (A)


Mull of Kintyre Oh mist rolling in from the sea,      A A D D A

My desire is always to be here oh Mull of Kintyre.          A D D A A   A A


Mull of Kintyre Oh mist rolling in from the sea,      D D G G D

My desire is always to be here oh Mull of Kintyre.        D G G D D D D

D D A A D D A A ...

 

Let's go to play this song

Activity 8

Write the words you are able to remember with no help.

 

Music words
Translation
Non music words
Translation
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

 


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