Scottish Cultural History vs The Tartan Tat shops of Edinburgh

Tourists never hear this story. We won’t let them hear it because we think they would not be interested or that we should make Scotland more “contemporary”. Yet, without this piece of history much of the music and dance culture that tourists take for granted in Edinburgh would be quite different.

Niel Gow

Niel Gow (1727-1807) and his family were responsible for the collecting, writing and popularisation of many of what we consider to be standard Scottish dance tunes (including Flowers of Edinburgh, Fairy Dance and many others). This is due partly to the business acumen of his son Nathaniel who published his father’s tunes as sheet music from business premises in Edinburgh.

Initially “Nathaniel Gow & Son, Music Sellers to his Majesty” of 60 Princes Street” and later “Gow and Shepherd” of 16 Princes Street.

This article gives something of the history of the firm.

In 1796 Nathaniel Gow entered into partnership with William Shepherd, an Edinburgh musician, and their first place of business was at 41, North Bridge Street, from whence they published many collected pieces and much sheet music. Before 1804 they had removed to 16, Princes Street, and this number is retained until 1810-11, when it is changed (probably by re-numbering the street) to 40.
Shepherd having died Nathaniel Gow found himself in great monetary difficulties and had to make up a large sum to the executors of his former partner. Shortly before 1818 he however entered into business again with his son as " Nathaniel Gow & Son," at 60, Princes Street, and they carried on the trade until 1825, when, the son having died, he shortly afterwards was partner with the firm Gow & Galbraith.
In 1827 bankruptcy came to Nathaniel Gow, and his friends advised him to advertise a ball for his benefit ; it realised a sum of nearly £300. The ball was again repeated in three subsequent years with a like satisfactory result. Besides this he had a pension of £50 a year from the Caledonian Club. He died in 1831.

However, by a strange twist of fate, one of Gow’s old addresses in Princes Street (no 16) is occupied by a “Tartan Emporium”, which specialises in playing drum machine backed techno-bagpipe music to passers by:

This shop makes no mention of its connection with real Scottish cultural history, but they will sell you a tartan  viking hat:

Just for the record, here are the current buildings numbered 60 and 40 Princes Street:

Come Ye By Atholl - Another interesting Scottish song.

Come Ye By Atholl is a well known Jacobite song in Scottish folk circles. Here it is is sung by North Sea Gas:

although the best version I have heard is by Stephen Quigg (click here for a page containing a sound clip of his version).

The song itself did not originate from people involved in the Jacobite uprising, but was written by the poet James Hogg, who said of it:

...there can be no dispute that it is one of my worst. (Source: Scottish pastoral poems, songs etc Mostly written in the dialect of the South, James Hogg, Edinburgh 1801)

The tune was given to Hogg by Niel Gow and is called "Gala Water".

Its original title, as given by Hogg, is "Bonnie Prince Charlie". Presumably it was changed later to avoid confusion with other songs about the prince.

Here are the original words from James Hogg's original published version (note its "Cam ye by Athol" not "Come ye by Atholl")

Cam ye by Athol, lad wi' the philabeg,
Down by the Tummel, or banks o' the Garry,
Saw ye our lads, wi' their bonnets and white cockades,
Leaving their mountains to follow Prince Charlie ?
  Follow thee! follow thee ! wha wadna follow thee ? ,
  Lang Last thou loved and trusted us fairly !
  Charlie, Charlie, wha wadna follow thee,
  King o' the Highland hearts, bonny Prince Charlie ?

I hae but ae son, my gallant young Donald ;
But if I had ten, they should follow Glengarry !
Health to M`Donnell and gallant Clan-Ronald,
For these are the men that will die for their Charlie !
  Follow thee ! follow thee! &c.

I'll to Lochiel and Appin, and kneel to them,
Down by Lord Murray, and Roy of Kildarlie;
Brave M'Intosh he shall fly to the field with them
These are the lads I can trust wi' my Charlie !
  Follow thee! follow thee! &c.

Down through the Lowlands, down wi' the Whigamore*!
Loyal true Highlanders, down wi' them rarely !
Ronald an' Donald, drive on, wi' the broad claymore,
Over the necks of the foes o' Prince Charlie!
  Follow thee ! follow thee ! wha wadna follow thee ?
  Lang ha.st thou loved and trusted us fairly !
  Charlie, Charlie, wha wadna follow thee,
  King o' the Highland hearts, bonny Prince Charlie ?

Here is a link to the sheet music if you require it.

*Note that the use of the word "Whigamore" (now spelled Whiggamore) had come to mean "protestant" by  the time Hogg wrote this song, but at the time of the 1745 uprising it probably had its original, more specific, meaning.

Original lyrics of the song Loch Lomond

Shortly after I wrote my article about Kelvingrove I was at a concert where someone sung the version of Loch Lomond collected by Matt McGinn which, although it may not be the original words, is probably the closest we are going to get. Note that the protagonist will be in "heaven" before you, not "Scotland". The song seems to be about the lover of a Jacobite soldier who is being taken south for execution (possibly to Carlisle).  Here are the words:

Whither away, my bonnie, bonnie May
So late and so far in the gloamin'
The mist gathers grey o'er muirland and brae
Oh! whither alane art thou roamin'

I trysted my ain love the night in the broom
My Ranald wha loves me sae dearly
For the morrow he marches for Edinburgh toon
To fecht for the King and Prince Chairlie

Yet, why weep you sae, my bonnie, bonnie May
Your true love from battle returning
His darling will claim at the height o' his fame
And change into gladness her mourning

Oh! weel may I weep - yestreen in my sleep
We stood bride and bridegroom thegither
But his lips and his breath were as chilly as death
And his heart's bluid was red on the heather

Oh, dauntless in battle as tender in love
He'd yield ne'er a foot to the foeman
And never again frae the field o' the slain
To Moira he'll come and Loch Lomond

He'll tak' the high road and I'll tak' the low
And I'll be in Heaven afore him
For my bed is prepared in yon mossy graveyard
'Mang the hazels o' green Inverarnan

The thistle shall bloom, and the King hae his ain
And fond lovers meet in the gloamin'
But I and my true love will yet meet again
By the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

Here is a video of it being sung by Alistair Ogilvy:

Kelvingrove, Iona and the dark side of the Scottish folk song

This is the story of the sanitisation of a Scottish folk song from gritty narrative to victorian parlour song and then to a modern hymn.

As a schoolboy I was indoctrinated with the Oxford Scottish Song Book which contained a selection of Edwardian versions of Scottish songs. None of them were very inspiring and Burns was surprisingly absent from the selection along with anything that was even vaguely political. One of the songs featured was Kelvingrove, and I made an instrumental recording of it a while ago:



The lyrics are:

Let us haste to Kelvin Grove, bonnie lassie, O
Thro' its mazes let us rove, bonnie lassie, O
Where the roses in their pride
Deck the bonnie dingle side
Where the midnight fairies glide, bonnie lassie, O.

Let us wander by the mill, bonnie lassie, O
To the cove beside the rill, bonnie lassie, O
Where the glens rebound the call
Of the roaring waters' fall
Thro' the mountains rocky hall, bonnie lassie, O.

Oh, Kelvin banks are fair, bonnie lassie, O
When the summer we are there, bonnie lassie, O
There the Maypink's crimson plume
Throws a soft but sweet perfume
Round the yellow banks o' broom, bonnie lassie, O.

Tho' I dare not call thee mine, bonnie lassie, O
As the smile of fortune's thine, bonnie lassie, O
Yet with fortune on my side
I could stay thy father's pride
And win thee for my bride, bonnie lassie, O.

But the frowns of fortune lour, bonnie lassie, O
On thy lover at this hour, bonnie lassie, O
Ere you golden orb of day
Wake the warblers on the spray
From this land I must away, bonnie lassie, O.

Then farewell to Kelvin Grove, bonnie lassie, O
And adieu to all I love, bonnie lassie, O
To the river winding clear
To the fragrant scented brier
Even to thee of all most dear, bonnie lassie, O.

When upon a foreign shore, bonnie lassie, O
Should I fall midst battle's roar, bonnie lassie, O
Then, Helen, should'st thou hear
Of thy lover on his bier
To his memory shed a tear, bonnie lassie, O.

In recent years the tune has been used as a hymn with new words written by John Bell and Graham Maule of the Iona Community:

Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown,
will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean
and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?

Will you love the ‘you’ you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found
to reshape the world around
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In your company I’II go
where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’II move and live and grow.

But the melody has a much darker past. It exists with various lyrics under the title "Oh the Shearin's No' for You" with various stages of sanitisation.

The earliest version is about the rape of a woman who then has to marry her assailant as she has been made pregnant by the attack:

Oh the shearin's no for you my bonnie lassie o
No the shearin's no for you my bonnie lassie o
No the shearin's no for you, for your back it willnae boo
And your bellies rowan fu' my bonnie lassie o

Dae you mind on yonder hill my bonnie laddie o
Dae you mind on yonder hill my bonnie laddie o
Dae you mind on yonder hill, where you said you wid me kill
If you didnae hae your will my bonnie laddie o

Well I'll no kill you deid my bonnie lassie o
No I'll no kill you deid my bonnie lassie o
No I'll no kill you deid, nor will I harm your pretty heid
I will marry you with speed my bonnie lassie o

It was in the month o' May my bonnie laddie o
It was in the month o' May my bonnie laddie o
It was in the month o' May, when the flooers they are gay
And the lambs all sport and play my bonnie laddie o

Oh the shearin's no for you my bonnie lassie o
No the shearin's no for you my bonnie lassie o
No the shearin's no for you, for your back it willnae boo
And your bellies rowan fu' my bonnie lassie o

It then went through a sanitisation to become the tale of a woman who is now too old for dancing:

Oh the shearin's no for you, my bonnie lassie o
Oh the shearin's no for you, my bonnie lassie o
Oh the shearin's no for you, for your back it winna bow
And your belly's o'erfu', my bonnie lassie o

Tak' the buckles frae yer shoon, my bonnie lassie o
Tak' the buckles frae yer shoon, my bonnie lassie o
Tak' the buckles frae yer shoon, for you've married sic a loon
An' yer dancin' days are done, my bonnie lassie o

Tak' the bloomsies frae yer knee, my bonnie lassie o
Tak' the bloomsies frae yer knee, my bonnie lassie o
Tak' the bloomsies frae yer knee, for it's better far for ye
Tae look o'er yer bairnies three, my bonnie lassie o

Tak' the ribbons frae yer hair, my bonnie lassie o
Tak' the ribbons frae yer hair, my bonnie lassie o
Tak' the ribbons frae yer hair and cut off yer ringlets fair
For you've naught but want an' care, my bonnie lassie o

And dae ye mind the banks of Ayr, my bonnie lassie o
And dae ye mind the banks of Ayr, my bonnie lassie o
Dae ye mind the banks of Ayr when you caught him in your snare
Now he's left you in despair, my bonnie lassie o

This was still too impolite for the Victorians so around 1819 John Sim (probably also Thomas Lyle) wrote the words about Kelvingrove which we know today.

Its an interesting evolution from profane to sacred, although in many ways the final use of the tune could address the first.

Early Scottish Music from the Skene Manuscript

The Skene Manuscript is one of the earliest written records of Scottish music. It belongs to the Faculty of Advocates and is kept in the National Library of Scotland. It was converted to staff notation and published with a commentary in:

From A Manuscript Of The Reign Of King James VI With An Introductory Enquiry Illustrative Of The History Of The Music Of Scotland By William Dauney, Esq. F.S.A. Scot., Edinburgh, 1838

This book is available for free download from Google Books - Click Here.

The music starts at page 215.

Contents of the Skene Manuscript
The manuscript is a collection of eighty five pieces of music written in mandore tablature. The mandore was a form of lute tuned to a similar pitch to the modern viola. The closest modern equivalent would be the mandola.

Here is a facsimile example of the original tablature (click on image to see a larger version):




The music contained in the manuscript was written for secular entertainment purposes and would have been played in the noble houses of Scotland. Some of the tunes refer to members of the family of James VI (e.g. Prince Henries Maske) and this music would no doubt have been played at the royal court. Much of the music is French influenced because of Scotland's close connections with France, but it does contain some specifically Scottish melodies including the first written down version of the Flowers of the Forest. Some of the melodies are written for specific types of dances.

Here are some excerpts played on penny whistle:



And here are some more, including the version of the Flowers of the Forest (the first written version of that tune):




A full commentary and explanation of the origin of the tunes plus any lyrics is contained in the book by William Dauney, referenced above starting at page 253.



Origins of the Skene manuscript

The date is uncertain, sometimes between 1615-1625, but possibly as late as 1630. Written by, or for, John Skene of Hallyards Castle, Lothian.

Sir John Skene was Lord Curriehill (1543-1617) a member of the Faculty of Advocates since 1575. Appointed as a judge he served as Lord Advocate from 1589 to 1594 and was involved in the prosecution of many alleged witches. His book Regiam Majestatem is a record of the laws of Scotland as they stood before James VI became James I of England.
He also served as Scottish ambassador to Holland.

Hallyards Castle was a fortified tower in the usual Scottish style. The foundations still exist to the north west end of the runway at Edinburgh Airport, although this is a later version of the house built by John Skene's son.

The castle was affected by undermining and was a partial ruin by the 19th century. It was finally demolished in 1975 when the airport runway was extended.
The family also owned Curriehill Castle in Currie.

Location of Hallyards relative to Edinburgh Airport (click on the image to see a larger version):



Closer view (click on the image to see a larger version):