© ericdentinger.com
2008-2025
Eric Maclewis
When The Pipers Play
(Patrick King)
I hear the voice, I hear the war
I hear the sound, on a distant shore
I feel the spirit of yesterday
I touch the past, when the pipers play
The pipes kept playing, for you and me
They kept on saying, we will soon be free
And your soul will never fade away
You’ll live forever, when the pipers play
The pibroch rears its deadly cry
Ah, some will live and some will die
And though they passed so far away
I feel their presence when the pipers play
The pipes kept playing, for you and me
They kept on saying, we will soon be free
And your soul will never fade away
You’ll live forever, when the pipers play
It speaks of love, I have lost
It speaks of my eternal cost
It speaks the price of peace today
A price remembered, when the pipers play
We do remember when the pipers play
The pipes kept playing, for you and me
They kept on saying we will soon be free
And your soul will never fade away
You’ll live forever, when the pipers play
This tune can be found under several titles like When The Pipers Play, O Waly Waly, The Water Is Wide, with some variations in the notes and rythms.
The original air seems to be ancient, coming from Scotland under the name O Waly, Waly - first time published in 1724 - but it also could come from English folk or Irish repertoire.
It remains a beautiful melody, played and sung by many artists.
The version I've chosen here speaks of course to all the bagpipe fans : when the pipers play... there's no more to say...
LYRICS
- score written by Eric Maclewis with CelticPipes
SLOW AIR
* Listen on the album (3rd tune) *