Origin: Glencoe Massacre (Jim McLean)

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: kendall
Date: 05 Jun 00 - 07:29 PM

Mim..you mentioned Gaberlunzie. do you know Gordon and Robin?

The story I was told by a Scot, was that the chief of the MacDonald clan was a little late in swearing alliegence to King William, but, he finally made the trek through the snow from Glen Coe to Inverness to "sign up" with the Kings Secretary , a man named Dalrymple. By the time he arrived in Inverness, Dalrymple had issued the order to wipe out the MacDonalds, and had left Inverness.
I have stood on the spot where the signal fire was lit, and, I swear that you can feel the sorrow in that Glen today. The Campbells have never been forgiven, and, I saw a hotel in Glen Coe with a sign on the lawn which read.. "No dogs or Campbells allowed."

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 05 Jun 00 - 07:11 PM

It's the same Whittaker.  The site Pene mentions credits him as composer and John Stobbs as lyricist; Kathleen Ferrier's famous recording of the song gives it as "Trad. arr. Whittaker"; I've seen it elsewhere as just "traditional".  Averaging out, I'd guess that he arranged (and, possibly) reworked an older melody.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: sophocleese
Date: 05 Jun 00 - 05:48 PM

William Giles Whittaker may or may not have composed the tune then. He is credited with two suites on Northumbrian Folk Tunes. Certainly though, arranged or composed, it is older than The Glencoe song.

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: Pene Azul
Date: 05 Jun 00 - 02:39 AM

According to this page "Blow the Wind Southerly" was composed by W.G. Whittaker who, according to this page, lived from 1876 to 1944. There's a short biography of William Giles Whittaker (same dates) on this page.

PA

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 05 Jun 00 - 02:11 AM

G'day NOT,
I totally agree with your sentiment: "How wonderful to bring back such a beautiful topic".

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Jun 00 - 01:52 AM

How wonderful to bring back such a beautiful topic.

NOT

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: GUEST,gene
Date: 04 Jun 00 - 07:05 PM

There seems to be some degree of similarity between the melody of "Massacre at Glencoe" and "Blow the Wind Southerly", especially the refrain. Is there a connection? When was "Blow the Wind Southerly" written?

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: Lesley N.
Date: 04 Jun 00 - 05:29 PM

I wanted to refresh this because I just had an e-mail from Jim McLean - who saw Glencoe at my site. He did, in fact, write BOTH the music and lyrics, some forty years ago. The SOURCE TYPE NUMBER under which it is registered with the MCPS is 0161096P. He said he's had to defend the tune as his. It was a very nice letter and I am pleased to correct the rumor that this could be a tradition air.

I think it's a testament to the beauty and emotion of the song that people claim it's tradtional! It's one of those rare songs that makes history come alive. Although I don't usually keep copyrighted songs on my site I've asked his permission to do so.

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From:
Date: 21 Feb 97 - 04:25 PM

John Mc Dermott, on his CD 'Old Friends' lists the song as "traditional, Arr.McDermott & Edwards.

Guess he contends that it's traditional, doesnt mean he's right though.

bo

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: mim
Date: 20 Feb 97 - 08:09 PM

Checked further. According to the Gaberlunzie tape, "Scotland Again" It was J. Maclean, Deuart Music Ltd. I think I'd go with the "Jim" or "J" instead of "D". The Corries also say Jim MacLean, Deuart Music, on their album "Live from Scotland, Vol. 3." Prebble' s Glencoe is still available and any bookstore can order it--might take a while, tho. I agree. It's an excellent book.

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: mim
Date: 20 Feb 97 - 07:52 PM

written by Jim McLean, Carlin Music - according to the information on the tape "The Hills of Lorne" by Anne Lorne Gillis. Hope this helps.

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: Priscilla Wintermute
Date: 14 Feb 97 - 02:20 PM

Well... I don't think we're talking about the same song. I also have the songbook you refer to, and yes, I can believe that song was written by a hack! The one I mean is the (infinitely more poetic and succinct) one that goes, "Cruel is the snow that sweeps Glencoe..., etc.," and is in the database.

(I sometimes think that everyone and his brother has either performed or recorded it.) The Corries, on "The Collection", attribute it to a pair of songwriters "MacLean-Duthart", and I've seen another attribution to a D. MacLean, with a copywrite symbol attached. That suggests to me that it hasn't been around long enough to have entered the public domain. Nothing I've seen, however, has said what the "D" stands for.

By the way anyone interested in the full account should get their hands on "Glencoe" by John Prebble. It was published by Penguin in the '60s, so it might be a bit hard to get, but I found it in Glasgow in 1990, so it's probably still available.

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: Anne Cormack
Date: 14 Feb 97 - 02:07 AM

This song was definitely NOT written by Dougie Mclean.

The massacre of Glencoe took place on 13th Feb 1692. For two weeks, Captain Robert Campbell and his men stayed with the MacDonald Clan at Glencoe, where they played cards, drank and generally fraternised with the MacDonalds.Captain Campbell was related through marriage,to Ian MacDonald, the Clan Chieftain. On Feb 12, Major Duncanson, Campbell's superior, sent a communication stating that:'You are hereby ordered to fall upon the McDonalds of Glencoe and put all to the sword under seventy...' The words of this song were printed on broadsheets and in chapbooks, but are probably not older than the 19th century. They may have been the effort of a local teacher or literary hack for the benefit of a broadsheet printer.

The above info comes from a book called "Traditional Folksongs & Ballads of Scotland" edited by John Loesberg and published by Ossian Publications Ltd.

Anne

Subject: RE: Who wrote
From: Barry Finn
Date: 12 Feb 97 - 09:55 PM

Trad. The MacDonald's refused to sign over property to King William and the Cambell's were sent to dispatch them even though they finally did agree to give up some of their land.

Subject: Who wrote Glencoe Massacre
From: Priscilla Wintermute
Date: 12 Feb 97 - 04:44 PM

Finding the lyrics to this song has never been much of a problem. Determining who wrote it, however, is another story. I've seen it attributed to "D. MacLean", with an indication that the song is recent enough to still be under copyright. Granted Maclean is a common enough name, but could it have been written by Dougie MacLean?

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