Tri Martolod - Breton Folk Song (Breton / English Lyrics)

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Description

Tri Martolod ("Three sailors" in Breton) or Tri Martolod Yaouank ("Three young sailors"), is a traditional Breton song which dates to the 18th century in Lower Brittany. It was made famous by the interpretation, the arrangement and the recordings made by the Breton harpist Alan Stivell, in the 1970s.

The lyrics tell the story of three young sailors who embark for Newfoundland and the history quickly settles into a romantic dialogue. The music is a round in three steps typical of the South Cornouaille and common in the Breton coastal areas.