Origins: Silver Tassie (Burns)

Subject: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: GUEST,Puck
Date: 02 Mar 05 - 07:06 PM

I have found Silver Tassie in the digi trad, and I can remember hearing it sung on CD. I think it was the Corries but can anyone direct me to a CD that contains it. thanks in anticipation    Malc

Subject: RE: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: Lighter
Date: 02 Mar 05 - 07:19 PM

Jean Redpath sings it beautifully on "Frae My Ain Country" on Sandy Paton's Folk-Lyric label.

Subject: RE: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: Ferrara
Date: 02 Mar 05 - 08:58 PM

This may be harder to find, but Norman & Betty MacDonald sing it on "Doon the Lang Stair."

It was written by Robert Burns, apparently the first quatrain is trad and he added the rest. The story is (according to one of our Burns collections) that he watched a sailor kissing his sweetheart goodbye on the pier of Leith and got the idea for the song.

Rita F

Subject: RE: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: GUEST,Puck
Date: 02 Mar 05 - 10:54 PM

Thanks to Lighter and Ferrara for your help

Subject: RE: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: Boab
Date: 03 Mar 05 - 01:46 AM

--Surprisingly good with [sensitive!] bodhran accompaniment. And points to the auld links between Scots and French in the effect on language.

Subject: RE: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: GUEST,Paul Burke
Date: 03 Mar 05 - 04:01 AM

See if you can find Sean O'Casey's play about World War I by that name.. hardly ever performed now, but a powerful read nonetheless.

Subject: RE: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: Little Robyn
Date: 03 Mar 05 - 05:12 AM

Archie Fisher sings it too - I think it's on 'Through the recent years' but I can't find it to check.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: Jim McLean
Date: 03 Mar 05 - 09:31 AM

There are a t least two tunes to this song which is called My Bony Mary in Johnson's Musical Museum. There is a quite martial tune which was always sung by Scottish tenors as the song was perceived to be an anti war song (see Sean O'Casey's play The Silver Tassie). I always saw it as a love song '... it's not the roar o' sea or shore, Wad make me langer wish to tarry; Nor shouts o' war that's heard afar, It's leaving thee, my bony Mary' so in the sixties I used the tune in the Museum and Nigel Denver recorded it on Major Minor. It is an exceedingly plaintive and haunting melody.

Subject: RE: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 03 Mar 05 - 08:56 PM

The Corries recorded it on 'The Dawning of the Day' (1982). Check the Corries website to see whether that one has made its way onto CD.
I've also got recordings by
Alex Campbell (under the title 'Bonny Mary') on 'Campbell Roberts MacLean' (1979),
Sheena Wellington on 'Strong Women' (CD, 1995) and
Rod Paterson (under the title 'Gae Bring Tae Me A Pint O'Wine') on 'Songs from the Bottom Drawer' (CD, 1996).

Subject: RE: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: GUEST,Puck
Date: 03 Mar 05 - 08:56 PM

Thanks to all for your time and trouble   Malcolm

Subject: RE: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: GUEST,Lighter at work
Date: 04 Mar 05 - 12:03 PM

How could anyone think of Burns's song as "martial" ?

Subject: RE: Origins: Silver Tassie
From: Jim McLean
Date: 04 Mar 05 - 12:14 PM

'The Silver Tassie was labeled a tragicomedy based on the cruel horrors of World War I. It showed the price which the common people have to pay for the stupidities of war..' This was said about Sean O'Casey's great play and unfortunately Scottish tenors/baritones sing the song in a clipped martial manner. I don't know where the tune that was used comes from, nor the words '.. Gae bring tae me a pint o' wine'. The original wods are 'Go fetch to me a pint o' wine. Previous to the Nigel Denver recording in the mid sixties, I only heard the 'martial' tune. Maybe someone has some more info on the non Musical museum version?