Talk:I Know Where I'm Going (song)

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[edit] Is it Scottish?

Are you sure it's Scottish? When Michael Powell used it for his film I Know Where I'm Going!, the film was set in Scotland but the title and the song was suggested by Powell's Irish wife Frankie. In his autobiography Powell describes it as a traditional Irish song. -- SteveCrook 13:56, 1 February 2007 (UTC)

Ives included it in his Irish song book, but perhaps it emigrated from Scotland to Ulster. -- Chironomia 17:18, 12 March 2007 (UTC)
Or from Ireland to Scotland :) -- SteveCrook 03:42, 13 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Suppressed Lyrics

The original song had the following line: "Some say he is black, but I say he is bonny." This has been changed to either "Some say he is dark" or "Some say he is bad." 71.251.129.133 21:40, 11 March 2007 (UTC)TheOldGrouch

Changed where and by who? It's an old traditional song, lyrics may change over time. -- SteveCrook 00:09, 12 March 2007 (UTC)
Changed to "bad" by Judy Collins. Changed to "dark" by unknown singer. "Black" may refer to Black Irish, meaning an Irish person who has black hair, not skin.Lestrade 12:47, 12 March 2007 (UTC)Lestrade
Or it could mean they're of dubious character. People might not like that nowadays but it's how the word was used in the past. It's worth noting those variations in the article -- SteveCrook 15:40, 12 March 2007 (UTC)
The references to "painted rooms" and "Fairest of them all" seem to suggest complexion or skin color. -- Chironomia 17:18, 12 March 2007 (UTC)
How does "painted rooms" relate to skin color? Also, it would have been difficult to find a Scotch or Irish male with black or even brown skin a hundred years ago.Lestrade 18:26, 12 March 2007 (UTC)Lestrade
Like Johnny, painted rooms are bonnie, the woman says. In this context, the paint on the walls seems to be part of an image cluster suggesting a "colored" surface (whether that be hair or skin), which the woman clearly finds attractive. I'm not suggesting that Johnny is literally black, but certainly there have been people of color in the British Isles for centuries. Some critics believe that Shakespeare's dark lady was a black woman. Of the adjective bonny, the Oxford English Dictionary states, "Pleasing to the sight, comely, beautiful, expressing homely beauty. Now in common use only in Scotland and north or midland counties of England; ...." -- Chironomia 19:49, 12 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Senseless ending??

The melody of each verse is:

F-F-G-A-F, C-A-A-A-B_flat-A-G, C-C-C-C-C-F, F-G-A-B_flat-A-A-G

This ending of this melody does not make sense. Any other songs of this kind?? Georgia guy 19:22, 7 July 2007 (UTC)