The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #4984 Message #3976672
Posted By: GUEST,Allan Conn
14-Feb-19 - 12:48 PM
Thread Name: The Flower of Scotland
Subject: RE: The Flower of Scotland
You certainly are reading far too much into it - perhaps from not fully knowing what the Jacobite Wars were actually about. They were not England v Scotland. They were Jacobite v Hanovarian. Hence in the Skye Boat Song it is absurd to say that the word "foe" is anti-English. The song lyric was written by an Englishman and 'foe' here means the enemies of the Jacobites. There is no mention of the English!! It is about somone escaping from his enemies over the sea. The use of the word 'foe' hardly makes it a hate mongering lyric even if it was specifically about one nationality. It is simply stating he is fleeing from his enemies.
Likewise with "Sound The Pibroch" - no it is not a call to arms against the English. It is a call to arms against the Hanovarians. Though it doesn't actually really mention the enemy at all. Clearly absurd to suggest either of these songs are anti-English. but if you really want to be offended by songs then you will find a way to be offended - that is clear.
Yes there are some songs about 'crushing' the English but my point was they are the exception. There simply is not that many of them. For every "Black Douglas" or "Stirling Brig" there are a hundred songs which have nothing to do with crushing the English.