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| HAMISH HENDERSON |
| Poet, translator, Highland folklorist,
campaigner for Scottish parliament |
| 1919 - 2002 |
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There was a time when Scottish music was all Harry Lauder and
walking about the heather with a bonnie lassie on your airm.
The
tradition had a bool in it's mooth. Scots songs were sung in parlours
by poash people trying to pronounce the scots language in BBC received
pronunciation.
This was the cultural climate
which spawned such horrors as Moira Anderson and Kenneth McKellar.
As is the case with most music,
only the very worst got the airplay and worked itself into the conciousness
of the public at large.
There has always been a conspiracy
run by the media to keep us from the quality music and steer us
towards the bland because it is harmless.
And they're right. Music has
the power to change people.
Hamish Henderson, folklorist
and poet, born November 11 1919; died March 8 2002, knew it.
A former army intelligence officer
who had fought in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, Hamish pretty
well invented the folk revival in Scotland.
A founder of the School of Scottish
Studies, and the man who invented the Edinburgh festival fringe
because the festival was too elitist, he spent years traipsing around
the country recording and archiving the songs of the people as remembered
by the people themselves.
He wasn't the most prolific
songwriter that ever lived, but many of his songs have found their
way into the tradition purely because of the sheer power of their
sentiment.
Tories may argue about this,
but the scots character is naturally socialist in its core sentiment.
Our natural sense of fairness may have been compromised by Ned culture
but at the heart of the nation there lies a root instinct for common
justice.
That's the appeal of many of
Hamish's songs.
His rant in support of the mentioned
elsewhere on this site, is one of these songs.
Much of his work is paints a
picture in the song. "The 51st highland division's farewell
to Sicily" is one such. The 51st had survived North Africa,
and fought its way through the liberation of Sicily. Now the "Puir
bloody swaddies" were on their way to become the "D-day
dodgers" many of whom would die in Italy.
"The John MacLean March"
celebrates Maclean's release from prison and his welcome back to
Glasgow. The imagery of the song conjures up a gathering crowd hurrying
to the Glasgow Green. If there was ever a video made for the song
it should be directed by Terry Gilliam along the lines of "Every
sperm is sacred" from "Monty Python and the Meaning of
Life". (there, that's me gonny get stoned for blasphemy by
the folk comunity)
The greatest of the songs is of course the
internationalist "
This great three verse epic
puts all that is good about our international aspirations up there.
No racist celebration of bloody battles with neighbours, or sycophantic
hymns to royalty.
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Broken faimilies in lands we've herriet, |
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Will curse Scotland the brave nae mair,
nae mair |
We won't be the international
bullies we were in the days of the empire.
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When Maclean meets wi' his frien's in
Springburn |
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A' thae roses an' geans'll turn tae bloom |
Eventually true socialism will
return to the land and we'll prosper.
And finally:
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The black lad frae yont Nyanga |
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Dings the fell gallows o' the burgers
doon |
Was a prophecy of the end of
apartheid, and a warning of the rebellion to come from the third
world if developed countries don't do something to redress the balance
of world wealth.
You can find the text of these and more of
Hamish's songs at
Oh and did I mention Thatcher
tried to give him an OBE and he told her to stick it up her arse!
A great Scot who'll become a
legend!
(Article contributed by bigken@dogzbollox.com)
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