Canrif : Cân i Nain / Canrif : Song for Gran

Mae ysgrifennu geiriau i ganeuon wedi bod yn ran hynod o bleserus i mi ers yn blentyn. Sylwais yn ieuanc iawn wrth ddysgu emynau yn y capel, fod yna batrwm i'r penillion h.y. efallai bod diwedd un llinell yn odli efo diwedd ryw linell arall mewn patrwm arbennig. Fesul tipyn byddwn yn ysgrifennu geiriau fy hun (parodi) i'r emynau i ffitio y patrwm a tôn yr emynau gwreiddiol, ac rhaid cyfaddef nad oedd y geiriau pob amser ddim byd iw wneud a crefydd o gwbwl! Ond 'rwyf yn sicir fy mod bellach wedi cael maddeuant am y pechodau yma.

Nid pob amser mae beth a roddodd syniad i mi am eiriau i gân newydd yn cael ei gyfleu yn stori neu gynnwys y gân ddarfodedig. Fel engraifft o hyn mae y gân Eirlys Yn Yr Eira i wneud a cariad cyfrinachol gan unigolyn tuag at rhyw berson arbennig, cariad nad yw yn cael ei ddatguddio oherwydd efallai swildod neu rhyw reswm personol arall. Beth roddodd y syniad i mi am y gân yma tybed? Un bore o wanwyn 'roeddwn i a Scamp, y ci bach, yn cerdded drwy fan oedd unwaith yn un o erddi yr hen Ysbyty Dewi Sant, Bangor, a oedd bellach yn adfeiliedig ac yn barod i gael ei dinistrio yn llwyr yn weddol fuan. Daeth y ci bach ar draws carton polisteirin gwyn a oedd wedi cael ei daflu yno ar ol i rhywun fwyta ei gynnwys. Cyn i'r ci gael gafael ar y carton mi wnes symud y carton gyda fy nhroed ac er syndod mawr i mi odditano oedd tlws o eirlysiau prydferth. Petai Scamp y ci heb ddod ar draws y carton or golwg fuasai yr eirysiau wedi bod falle am amser maith heb gael cyfle i ddangos eu prydferthwch. Dyna roddodd y syniad i mi am gariad cuddiedig a oedd hefyd yn disgwyl dangos a cyfleu ei brydferthwch.

Ond weithiau mae rhywun yn rhoddi syniad i mi am gân neu yn gofyn i mi sgwenu geiriau ar gyfer rhyw achlysur arbennig. Gofynnodd Karen Ann (Môn Heli ) a'i brawd Kevin (Kev Bach) i mi a fuaswn yn gallu ysgrifennu geiriau ar gyfer cân i ddathlu penblwydd arbennig iawn i hên wraig arbennig iawn sef ei nain, Katie Jones, a fyddai yn weddol fuan yn dathlu ei phenblwydd yn gant oed (Gorffennaf 2003). Cytunais yn syth ac wedi clywed hanes ei bywyd, mi es ati i ysgrifennu geiriau a fyddai, yn fy marn i, yn cyfleu hanes ei bywyd ai theimladau ar ddiwrnod ei phenblwydd. Rhoddais y geiriau i Arthur (Môn Heli), fy ffrind a partner sgwenu alawon i'm geiriau, ac mewn dim amser rhoddodd alaw eithriadol o addas iddynt. Rhoddais y teitl Canrif i'r gân.

Dywedais ar ddechrau yr erthygl yma fod ysgrifennu geiriau i ganeuon wedi bod yn rhywbeth pleserus iawn i mi ers yn ieuanc iawn, ond o'r holl ganeuon dwi wedi eu ysgrifennu Canrif yn sicir yw yr un a ddaeth a mwyaf o bleser i mi oherwydd wnai byth anghofio y pleser ar balchder a ddanghosai ar wyneb Katie Jones ar ei diwrnod mawr, ac ei diolchgarwch i Arthur a mi am gyfansoddi cân unigryw iddi hi, amhosib fydd gwellhau y profiad yma.

Writing song lyrics has been a pleasure for me since an early age. I noticed when I was learning hymns in chapel as a child that each verse had a certain pattern i.e. end of one sentence rhymed with the end of another sentence in each verse. Little by little I started to write my own lyrics to some hymns (parody), lyrics that would fit the pattern of the original and, of course, the tone. I must admit that most of the time my lyrics had nothing to do with religion, but I'm sure I have been forgiven for that sin!

Often what inspires me to write certain lyrics, or what gives me the idea, is not reflected in the actual finished song. For example, the song Eirlys yn yr Eira (Snowdrop In The Snow) is about a hidden love that someone is unable to declare due, perhaps, to shyness, but wants to deep down in order to show love's beauty. So, what gave me the idea for that song? Well, one spring morning I was walking my dog, Scamp, in the old grounds of St David's Hospital, Bangor, which was due for demolition in a few weeks time. My dog came across a white discarded take away carton and, as I removed it away from the dog, I discovered a beautiful bunch of snowdrops that had grown underneath it.The carton had been hiding the true beauty of the flowers. That is what gave me the idea of a hidden love waiting to be discovered in order to show its true beauty.

Sometimes, however, I get requests to write lyrics or short poems for special occasions. Karen Ann, from the duo Môn Heli, and her brother Kev (Kev Bach) asked me one day if I could write a song for their grandmother, Katie Jones, who would be clebrating her 100th birthday in a couple of months time (July 2003). I immediately agreed and, after getting to know a bit about her life, I wrote lyrics that I believed reflected her life and possibly what her feelings would be on her special day. I gave the lyrics to Arthur (Môn-Heli), Karen's husband and my song writing partner, and in no time at all he had composed a very apt melody to my lyrics. I gave the song the title Canrif which translated means Century

I mentioned at the beginning of this article that I have had great pleasure in writing lyrics since an early age, but out of the numerous songs I have written, Canrif is, without a doubt, the one that gave me the most enjoyment and pleasure. I shall never forget the joy and pride on Katie Jones's face when she heard the song, or how grateful she was to Arthur and myself for writing a song especially for her in celebration of her hundreth birthday, and nothing will beat that.

CANRIF

Atgofion canrif ddaw im meddwl heddiw

Cannoedd o atgofion cymysg byw

Yn dôd a gwên ac ambell ddeigryn gloyw

Wrth gofio'r plant sydd nawr ym mreichiau Duw.

Canrif hir a chaled aeth heibio'n chwim

Ond er pob dim cedwais i fy ffydd

Wyrion a wyresau sydd yn gysur im

Ac iddynt hwy rwy'n byw o ddydd i ddydd.

Cytgan

Cyfarchion y frenhines

Ddaeth gyda'r cardiau drwy y drws

A'r stafell wedi 'i boddi

Gan tlysau blodau tlws

A'r teulu ôll a ffrindiau

Yn dathlu gyda mi

Fy mhenblwydd heddiw

Yn ganrif oed

Mor ffodus ydwyf fi

Gall bywyd fod yn greulon ar adegau

A pwysedd ffawd yn ein gwasgu ni

Ond dim gwahaniaeth pa mor serth yw'r rhiwiau

Eu dringo rhaid i pawb fel y gwnes i

© Dafydd Thomas 2003

SYNOPSIS OF THE WELSH LYRICS

First verse describes the mixed memories of Katie's long life, some happy which bring a smile, others sad which bring a tear, especially those that remind her of her children who are no longer here but in the arms of God.

Second verse describes her long and sometimes hard life which seems to have passed very quickly. But, despite the hardships, she kept her faith. She is very proud of her grandchildren and it is for them now that she lives from day to day.

Chorus describes her 100th birthday: a telegram from the Queen arrived with many cards, the lounge in her home is flooded with flowers, her family and friends are celebrating with her, and she considers herself very lucky.

Third verse states that life can be hard at times, and that fate can sometimes be cruel, but no matter how steep the hills of life are we must all climb them as she had to do.