Outlander fever strikes me

I did some research into the theme song for the television series Outlander. The opening music is just lovely, moving, and powerful. Bear McCreary is the music director. Singing by Raya Yarbrough. Music based on the song Skye Boat Song, about Bonnie Prince Charlie. Original lyrics:

    Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing
    Onward, the sailors cry!
    Carry the lad that’s born to be King
    Over the sea to Skye.

    Loud the winds cry, loud the waves roar,
    Thunderclaps rend the air.
    Baffled our foes stand by the shore.
    Follow they will not dare

    Many's the lad fought on that day
    Well the claymore could wield,
    When the night came silently lay
    Dead on Culloden’s field.

    Burned are our homes, exile and death
    Scatter the loyal men.
    Yet ere the sword cool in the sheath
    Scotland will rise again!

(Lyrics written 120 years after by an Englishman.)

Lyrics for theme of Outlander were partially taken from a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,

      Say, could that lad be I?

Merry of soul he sailed on a day

      Over the sea to Skye.

Mull was astern, Rum on the port,

      Eigg on the starboard bow;

Glory of youth glowed in his soul;

      Where is that glory now?

Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,

      Say, could that lad be I?

Merry of soul he sailed on a day

      Over the sea to Skye.

Give me again all that was there,

      Give me the sun that shone!

Give me the eyes, give me the soul,

      Give me the lad that's gone!

Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,

      Say, could that lad be I?

Merry of soul he sailed on a day

      Over the sea to Skye.

Billow and breeze, islands and seas,

      Mountains of rain and sun,

All that was good, all that was fair,

      All that was me is gone.

Lyric to Outlander:

Sing me a song of a lass that is gone
Say, could that lass be I?
Merry of soul she sailed on a day
Over the sea to Skye

Billow and breeze, islands and seas
Mountains of rain and sun
All that was good, all that was fair
All that was me is gone

Sing me a song of a lass that is gone
Say, could that lass be I?
Merry of soul she sailed on a day
Over the sea to Skye

Listen and watch the opening credits to the first episode (the opening credits are also gorgeous):

 

There is a lot of information on Bear McReary's website about the music, but I also accessed wikipedia, poetryfoundation.org, and http://artists.letssingit.com.

Bear McCreary's site: http://www.bearmccreary.com/#

Oh, yes, by the way - I am obsessed with Outlander. If you haven't read at least the first book in the series, by Diana Gabaldon, you really need to. :)  IMHO.

They are doing a great job with the story so far. The costumes and sets are terrific, and I love the actors they have chosen to play the main characters. The actor playing Dougal is PERFECT. I'm loving the chemistry between Clair and Jamie, too. We don't get Starz so I've only seen the first four episodes on DVD so far, but I'm pretty well hooked at this point.  :)