Ommadawn (36:41), like his previous efforts, covers two sides of Mike Oldfield's third album. It came out in 1975. In 2017 an album called Return to Ommadawn appeared. To record the original album as he wanted Oldfield persuaded his label, Virgin Records, to install a 24-track studio at home in The Beacon, Kington, Herefordshire. The African drums had to be recorded at The Manor, Shipton-on-Cherwell, Oxfordshire, where the first two albums were recorded. There was insufficient space at The Beacon to accommodate the instruments and equipment. An initial version had to be abandoned due to problems with tape and so Oldfield started again. Among the musicians involved is Paddy Maloney on Uillean pipes. There is also a brass band in there. Chiefly instrumental, both parts of Ommadawn contain lyrics, in Irish and in English. On Side 1 Clodagh Simonds sings with two others in Irish
Tá daidí 'na leaba
Tá an cat ag ól an bhainne
Tá mé an Amadán le Ceol
Amadán le Ceol
[Daddy's in his bed The cat's drinking the milk I'm the idiot singing (or the singing idiot) Idiot singing (or singing idiot)]
The word idiot (amadán in Irish) was anglicised into Ommadawn and used as the title of the album.
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