Cannot Steal The Sound

by Isla Ratcliff

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about

The inspiration for this song came from the realisation that music has helped a lot of people to cope during lockdown, myself included. During a very difficult year, music has served an important function as a medium that takes us away from our immediate reality and connects us to each other, albeit virtually. Music has provided an escape into a more cheerful world, and for this I am very grateful. Despite the challenges of physical isolation and navigating a virtual world, we have proven that a global pandemic "cannot steal the sound".

lyrics

Last night, April came, told us she had to stay,
She changed our day to night.
We stumbled on, mutter, fly, shutter, cry,
Oh sigh.

But I’ll whisper you a song I like,
I’ll sing it round a couple times,
Hoping that you might
Sing with me at night.

We made wishes on wishing trees, casting tales
Of light, burning light.
We stoked the fire, looked around, heard the sound
Of life.

And we thought, ‘Even on the shortest day,
In what feels like the longest year,
The darkness came and stole the light,
But it cannot steal the sound.’

Tonight, April will come again to bring us something more,
Please bring us something more.
And tell me,
How long has it been?
Did we wake up in the night?
Wake up in the night?

And she’ll say, ‘Even on the shortest day,
In what feels like the longest year,
I’ll whisper you a song I like,
I’ll sing it round a couple times,
The darkness came and stole the light,
But it cannot steal the sound.’

credits

released March 23, 2021
Composed, arranged and performed by Isla Ratcliff
Commissioned by Ondervinden
Inspired by Rambootan
Mixing and mastering by Al James
Design by Nina Klaff

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about

Isla Ratcliff Edinburgh, UK

Scottish fiddle player, singer and composer. Isla's debut album The Castalia features traditional and self-composed tunes inspired by her time in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia in 2019.

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