• Should you wander this land to the North,
  And few seldom do,
  Should you follow the song of the gull
  To enchanted western isles,
  Coax a fisherman to take you out
  Where the silky seals are seen,
  Hear the stories that they tell about
  The maiden who is their queen,
  The maiden who is their queen.
  
  Celia of the seals,
  She knows just how they feel,
  Celia of the seals.
  "Voyna, voyna, voyna, voyna voyna vay"
  "Voyna, voyna, voyna, voyna voyna vay"
  
  Seal hunters are not brave and bold,
  They murder her poor wee seals
  And cut off their skins to be sold,
  Cursed be he who deals.
  There's no reason for this slaughtering,
  They're left on the rocks to bleed
  He's not a man who does this thing,
  It's a cruel and a heartless deed,
  A cruel and a-heartless deed.
  
  Celia of the seals,
  She knows just how they feel,
  Celia of the seals.
  
  Celia of the seals,
  Celia of the seals,
  She knows just how they feel,
  Celia of the seals,
  Celia of the seals,
  Celia of the seals,
  "Voyna, voyna, voyna, voyna voyna vay"
  "Voyna, voyna, voyna, voyna voyna vay Writer/s: DONOVAN LEITCH
  Publisher: Peermusic Publishing
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 3

• Jim from Oregon I thought this song was inspired by the Scottish legend of Selkies - woman who turned into seals.
• Gloria from LondonThe Celia of the song title is Celia Hammond, who was a top model in the 70s and often modelled furs, until she realised how fur was obtained and how cruel the fur trade is. She used her fame as a model to become a vocal and hands-on animal activist and opened the Celia Hammond Animal Trust which takes in and neuters feral cats, rehoming those tame enough or releasing them back whence they came where possible, and finding farm homes for the remainder. Her clinics provide low-cost neutering and vet services in east and south London, and no animal in her care is ever put down while there is any quality of life. She was in a relationship with Jeff Beck for many years and met Donovan, who wrote this song about her. Most recently, she cleared the Olympic stadium site in east London of its feral cat population, successfully lobbying for more time before construction started, due to the large numbers of cats there. She took in over 200 cats from this one site alone. See: www.celiahammond.org
• Sara from Silver Spring, MdThis was inspired by a fur trader who was a friend of Donovan's mistress Linda. Early in his career he wrote a song called "Ceila" but never recorded it.

More Songfacts:

Crank That (Soulja Boy)Soulja Boy

"Crank That (Soulja Boy)" was the most successful digital track of 2007 in the US with 2,909,000 downloads. On January 6, 2008 it became the first song ever to sell 3 million digital copies in the States.

Groove Is in the HeartDeee-Lite

One of the last hits with a track made up almost entirely of uncleared samples is "Groove Is In The Heart" by Deee-Lite in 1990. Soon after, courts ruled that samples needed to be cleared.

Sister ChristianNight Ranger

"Sister Christian" was written by Night Ranger drummer Kelly Keagy, who was imploring his younger sister to be careful in her reckless youth, especially when "motoring" (driving around) with friends.

Mmm Mmm Mmm MmmCrash Test Dummies

The third verse of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" by Crash Test Dummies ("they shook and lurched all over the church floor...") was inspired by girl whose parents would speak in tongues at their Pentecostal service.

The Way We WereBarbra Streisand

"The Way We Were" was the first of five #1 singles by Barbra Streisand. She is the only artist ever to receive an Oscar, Tony, Emmy and Grammy, and also record a #1 single and album.

Whip ItDevo

Devo got the idea for their "Whip It" video from an article about a guy who owned a dude ranch and charged people to watch him remove his wife's clothes with a bullwhip.

Editor's Picks

Charlie DanielsSongwriter Interviews

Charlie discusses the songs that made him a Southern Rock icon, and settles the Devil vs. Johnny argument once and for all.

Which Songs are About Drugs?Fact or Fiction

"25 or 6 to 4" to "Semi-Charmed Life" - see if you can spot the songs that are really about drugs.

90s MetalFact or Fiction

Test your metal - Priest, Maiden, and Beavis and Butt-head show up in this one.

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet SprocketSongwriter Interviews

The "All I Want" singer went through a long depression, playing some shows when he didn't want to be alive.

Phone Booth SongsSong Writing

Phone booths are nearly extinct, but they provided storylines for some of the most profound songs of the pre-cell phone era.