Yma o Hyd
"Yma o Hyd" | |
---|---|
Sain | |
Songwriter(s) | Dafydd Iwan |
Yma o Hyd (English: "Still Here") is a Welsh language folk song by Dafydd Iwan. The song was released during Iwan and Ar Log's 'Taith Macsen' ("Macsen's Journey") tour in 1983. Since then it has continued to gain popularity at cultural and sporting events.
Background
Iwan was described by Ned Thomas as "the master" of the popular songs that accompanied the growth of Welsh nationalism in the 1960s. These songs were often characterised by both satirical and political themes as well as historical references.[1] Indeed, Iwan became a key figure in Welsh culture as a well known television personality, recording artist and an outspoken member of Welsh nationalist organisations. Iwan's early career has been described as playing a major role "in mobilising the Welsh popular music scene in a nationalist linguistic direction".[2]
However, by the time Iwan wrote Yma o Hyd, his life and career was much more troubled, having been imprisoned four times for his activism and also in the middle of a "terrible divorce".
"It was a terrible time and the Thatcher regime hit Wales heavily. Coal mines and steelworks were closed and I was in the middle of a terrible divorce. Yma o Hyd is about how we're still here, despite everything and everyone and even ourselves."
- Dafydd Iwan on his inspiration for writing the song.[3]
It was against this background that Iwan was looking to write a song that would "raise the spirits". During a conversation with his friend, the historian and
Composition
The song consists of three verses and a repeated chorus, with the opening and closing verses reference
In Yma o Hyd, Iwan uses the still common knowledge of Macsen to show that the memory and culture of the
The third verse references Macsen alongside the eighteenth century caricature Dic Siôn Dafydd and the contemporary figure of Margaret Thatcher. Iwan hoped to parallel the troubles of ancient Wales with the more modern threats to the nation, to demonstrate the fortitude and survival of the Welsh culture at a time he felt it was most threatened.[11]
Cultural impact
Iwan debuted the song on his 1983 tour with the folk band Ar Log. The "Macsen tour" (named for Yma o Hyd's references to Macsen Wledig) was a great success, with Iwan and Ar Log deciding to release a joint album of the new music later in the year.[12]
As a response to Thatcherism
During the
It has been suggested that the song played a "not insignificant" role in raising the morale of
Impact on education and language
The song also inspired a resurgence of support for
Impact on devolution and nationalism
The song contributed to support for a National Assembly for Wales (later renamed Senedd) and in 1998 the Welsh electorate voted in favour of Welsh devolution.[5] In January 2020, the song reached number one in the UK iTunes chart, spurred on by purchases by supporters of Welsh independence group YesCymru. The campaign mirrored the success of the Wolfe Tones song "Come Out, Ye Black and Tans" earlier that month.[15]
In sport
Even before the release of Yma o Hyd, Iwan's music had a long association with Llanelli RFC. Most notably, Ray Gravell would sing Iwan's songs for his Llanelli, Wales and British and Irish Lions team mates.[16][17] The song would become a more official team anthem in the 1990s when Gravell became president of the club and arranged for the song to be played everytime Llanelli and the Scarlets scored.[18][19] Since the Parc y Scarlets stadium was opened in 2008, the words "Yma o Hyd" has been displayed above the players tunnel.[20]
In more recent years has been sung by supporters of
A new version of the song was used for the official soundtrack and music video for Wales at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, featuring voices of y Wal Goch (Red Wall) of Wales fans. Dafydd Iwan said of the new remix, “It's an impossible dream come true and the incredible sound of The Red Wall on this track is exciting and inspiring to hear ...No other nation will have anything like this to inspire their team on the grandest stage of them all.”[26] The official video includes highlights and low points of Welsh football history and significant cultural moments. Some moments featured include the miners' strike, Iwan being released from prison following his arrest for vandalising road signs as part of a campaign for the Welsh language and Michael Sheen's speech to the Wales squad.[27]
In 2022, a poll found that 35% of the people of Wales knew some of the words to Yma o Hyd.[28]
Use in media
- A chapter on the history of the song and its context appears in Siôn Jobbins's book The Phenomenon of Welshness, or 'How many aircraft carriers would an independent Wales need?' .[29]
- A version of the song appears in the Welsh black comedy film The Toll, released in the UK in 2021.[30]
- The song was sampled in a bilingual rap song as part of Wales' FIFA World Cup campaign by rap artist Sage Todz, titled "O HYD".[31]
- Episode 10 of season 2 of Welcome to Wrexham covers the Gresford disaster and closes the episode with a subtitled rendition of Yma o Hyd.
References
- ^ Thomas, Ned (1973). The Welsh Extremist (in Welsh) (2nd ed.). Tal-y-bont: Y Lolfa. pp. 17, 21.
- ^ Roger Wallis and Krister Malm (1984). "Sain Cymru: The Role of the Welsh Phonographic Industry in the Development of a Welsh Language Pop/Rock/Folk Scene". Popular Music. 3: 85.
- ^ a b McRae, Donald (19 November 2022). "'Still here': a Welsh World Cup odyssey sets seal on emotional awakening". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ a b c Thomas, Rhys (2 June 2022). "Yma o Hyd: the defiant Welsh folk song that's been 1,600 years in the making". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ a b c d Dr E. Wyn James (2005). "Painting the World Green: Dafydd Iwan and the Welsh Protest Ballad". Folk Music Journal. 8 (5): 594–618.
- ^ Rachel Bromwich, editor and translator. Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Welsh Triads. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, Third Edition, 2006. 441-444
- ^ Giles, John Allen, ed. (1841), "The Works of Gildas", The Works of Gildas and Nennius, London: James Bohn, p. 13, The History, ch. 14.
- ^ Phillimore, Egerton, ed. (1887), "Pedigrees from Jesus College MS. 20", Y Cymmrodor, vol. VIII, Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, pp. 83–92
- ^ Phillimore, Egerton (1888), "The Annales Cambriae and Old Welsh Genealogies, from Harleian MS. 3859", in Phillimore, Egerton (ed.), Y Cymmrodor, vol. IX, Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, pp. 141–183
- ^ Lamb, William Glenn (1 March 2020). ""DAFYDD IWAN'S YMA O HYD OVERTAKES STORMZY AND LEWIS CAPALDI TO TOP ITUNES CHART..."". www.thenewfederalist.eu. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ "The top 12 most satisfying Welsh language insults to aim at your worst enemy – or your mates". Nation.Cymru. 2022-04-28. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
- ^ "Dafydd Iwan ac Ar Log - Yma o Hyd". SainWales.com (in Welsh). Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ^ a b c "Yma o Hyd: the defiant Welsh folk song that's been 1,600 years in the making". The Guardian. 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
- ^ Shipton, Martin (2014-03-03). "Margaret Thatcher 'lied to miners about jobs and the extent of her plans to close pits'". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
- ^ Stephens, Lydia (12 January 2020). "A Welsh folk legend is outselling Stormzy in the iTunes charts". Walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- ISBN 978-0-19-967154-0.
- ISBN 9781784616830. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ISBN 9781134103188. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ^ "New book by legendary folk singer Dafydd Iwan tells the stories behind his songs". Nation Cymru. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ISBN 9781847717115.
- ^ "Yma o Hyd: the defiant Welsh folk song that's been 1,600 years in the making". The Guardian. 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
- ^ Mitchelmore, Ian (2022-03-28). "The player behind Dafydd Iwan's iconic Yma o Hyd rendition revealed". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
- ^ Williams, Glen (2022-06-05). "Gareth Bale leads brilliant rendition of Yma o Hyd after Wales beat Ukraine". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
- ^ Coleman, Tom (2022-03-29). "Yma o Hyd full lyrics, meaning and why Wales football fans started singing it". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
- ^ "Dafydd Iwan hits the number one spot with Yma o Hyd". 8 June 2022.
- ^ "World Cup 2022: The music video for Yma O Hyd is here". ITV News. 2022-11-07. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ Mitchelmore, Ian (2022-11-07). "The full video for Wales' World Cup song has been released and it's epic". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ "YesCymru_Results_221125.xlsm". Google Docs. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
- ^ Jobbins, Sion (2011). The phenomenon of Welshness : or, "How many aircraft carriers would an independent Wales have?". Gwasg Carreg Gwalch.
- ^ "Tollbooth (2021) Soundtracks". IMDb.
- ^ "Watch: Stunning new version of 'Yma o Hyd' by Welsh Drill artist Sage Todz released". Nation.Cymru. 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2022-06-14.