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Gairmam abery'n hir
-Welsh proverb
Initial critical reaction to Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun was somewhat confused. Some critics did not understand the film, and some others oversentimentalized the character of James Graham.
Andrew Gordon's analysis of Empire of the Sun elucidated many aspects of the film, noted the importance of "Suo Gân" to an analysis of the film, and demonstrated the pathological nature of Jim's adaptation to his situation. Nevertheless, his analysis of the significance of "Suo Gân" to Empire of the Sun omitted important points because it was based on an incomplete translation of this old Welsh lullaby. The purpose of this note is to help to clarify the significance of "Suo Gân" to Empire of the Sun.
"Suo Gân" literally means "humming song," or lullaby, and there are a number of different Welsh songs by that name. The earliest published version of the song, on which the version used in the film was based, dates from 1794. (Jones 183) The first two stanzas were published by Robert Bryan in 1905. The third stanza was prepared for publication by Robert Bryan in 1915, but because Bryan was in Egypt, and traveling back to Wales was too hazardous due to the war situation, publication was delayed until 1921. A more accessible version was published in 1959 (Davies and Northcote 53), but is marred by its highly inaccurate translation.
"Suo Gân" is sung at three crucial points in Empire of the Sun: in the opening sequence when water shots cut to Jim singing in church, when Jim sings to the Kamikaze pilots, and during the closing scene when Jim finds his mother. The opening and closing scenes are visually tied together by objects floating in water, with ships breaking into the frame from the left side of the frame. The text that is sung follows:
Huna blentyn arfy mynwes,
Clyd a chynnes ydyw hon
Breichiau mam sy'n dyn am danat,
Cariad mam sy danjy mron;
Ni cha 'dim amharu 'th gyntun,
Ni wna undyn a thi gam;
Huna 'n dawel annwyl blentyn,
Huna'nfwyn arfron dyfam
Huna 'n dawel heno, huna,
Huna 'nfivyn y tlws ei lun;
Pam yr wyl yn awr yngwenu,
Gwenu'n dirion yn dy hun?
Ai angylionfry sy'n gwenu,
Amat ti yn...