Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush

Subject: Origin: Smile in Your Sleep (J.McLean)
From: mally
Date: 15 May 10 - 02:40 PM

Would I be right in thinking that this is about the Scottish clearances?

Subject: RE: Origin: Smile in Your Sleep (J.McLean)
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 15 May 10 - 05:36 PM

you will find out all you ever wanted to know about the song on this thread

Subject: RE: Origin: Smile in Your Sleep (J.McLean)
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 16 May 10 - 01:43 AM

Jim McLean is a fellow Mudcatter.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Jim McLean
Date: 16 May 10 - 05:23 AM

The answer to mally is 'yes' (more commonly known as the Highland Clearances).

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: GUEST,paul
Date: 01 Oct 10 - 03:28 PM

anyone got the guitar chords for hush hush

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 18 Nov 10 - 06:22 PM

Tir nan Oran on BBC Alba covered Argyll this week, and the first song they did was "Chi Mi na Morbheanna" and how it was written.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 20 Nov 10 - 06:51 PM

Is there a book of Jim Mclean songs?

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 20 Nov 10 - 06:59 PM

PS I didn't put a blue clicky for Tir nan Oran as it'll probably only be on the iPlayer for a week.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 12:57 AM

Is this programme repeated on a Sunday evening, i.e. tonight?
Think I saw it listed - --?

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 03:33 AM

I don't think so, and it's only available till Monday at 21:00 GMT. The next (and last) episode is songs from Skye.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Jim McLean
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 05:37 AM

Dave, I have heard the gaelic song "Chi Mi na Morbheanna" sung many times and always enjoyed its beuty. It illustrates the melodic difference to "Mist Covered Mountains", the pipe tune, which I used (with modifications) for "Smile in your Sleep". "Chi Mi na Morbheanna" uses basically the same melody for verse and chorus whereas "Mist Covered Mountains" is a two parter. The program was of course about John Cameron's lyrics, beautifully wedded to the tune which has already been pointed out to be a variant of "Johnny so Long at the Fair".

Big Gallus Moll, I produced a booklet of 25 Scottish Rebel songs, with music, in 1968 and still have some. Email me at [e-mail] and I'll see what I can do .... my attic is full of them! I had to print thousands to get a price I could afford.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 05:22 PM

Thanks Jim, have emailed you!

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 05:37 PM

Hi Jim.

I assumed you knew the background. I put the link in for other people. The trouble I have with BBC Alba is trying to get programme listings. I get Scotland on Sunday and it doesn't mention them at all.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Jim McLean
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 07:28 PM

Hi Dave,
I live in London but can get BBC Alba on Freesat .. a god send.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 08:11 PM

I get it on the iPlayer over the internet, but as I said, the main problem is getting listings of what's on. Usually I just have to trawl through every now and then.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: GUEST,mulv
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 09:20 PM

WELL - I Never !! Seems BD has found her roots and released a CD which includes this terrific song.....not heard it yet.....but all ears.....with the qualification that she has also put 'Jamie Raeburn' on the CD...and I've only as yet listened to her website blag....not heard 'Hush Hush'....but BD's version of Jamie R (on website) has changed since years back....and left me disappointed ...grieves me to say it BUT (a la website) it's over-produced and slower in tempo (which didn't impress me).Based on my old tape record,memories and what still spins in me head (AND entrance fee !)....I'll probably give her tour a miss,go and watch Worcester City FC and stick with the memories (or maybe not ! .....bloody assertiveness courses are not worth the fees...or are they ?...what d'ya think ?) She's still a singer and a half...but I fear that all her 'recent' background has 'uprooted' her.Shame !! But with her talent I'd have done exactly the same and become a professional footballer (OR...would I ?,the course lecturer laughed).Err...I'll see if the wife will buy us some tickets and then I can say I went 'invited'.I'm sorta undecided !
Seriously - won't go but might buy the CD for curiosity's sake....Barbara,thanks 'cos I didn't expect my love affair to last this long !

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Mar 11 - 07:39 PM

Indeed Barbara Dickson does put Smile In Your Sleep on her new album Words Unspoken. Has such a beautiful melody. This version maybe too produced for many but I understand Barbara wants to take traditional music to a wider audience, so certainly you'd describe most of the album as accessible. No denying the quality of her voice though, she sings Will Ye Gang Love unaccompanied. Beautiful.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Jim McLean
Date: 01 Apr 11 - 01:16 PM

I have just listen to a snippet of Barbara Dixon singing a verse from Smile in your Sleep. I wrote the song as verse, chorus, verse chorus and so on. Barbara sings the verse "We stood with heads bowed in prayer...." to the chorus melody. I am pleased when people honour me by singing my songs but why don't they get them right! The verse is sung to the 'high' part of the complete melody deliberately as it appeals more, a cry almost. The melody of the chorus is more relaxed, suitable for the lullaby part.
I just despair sometimes.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: GUEST,mulv
Date: 24 May 11 - 10:09 PM

Jim - I've not heard BD live or bought the album since the 'resurrection'(any more than I'd spent money to watch Man U or any other Prem Lge team at exhorbitant prices)...but I expect she sings it just like I have it in me head.....which is probably wrong by your reckoning of course....this might explain what I was talking about earlier....though I seem to recall the 'change' was on 'Where is our proud....men'.Anyways,still a magic song and lyrics...and now standing the test of time ! And that's a massive test ! Don't forget,I heard this song 30+ years back a la BD and it still lives ! If I was you,I'd take that as a real feather in me cap ! Ask B/hoven if he reckoned his music would be around in 200 years' time !! Actually,what pisses me off now,of course,is that when I warble 'Hush Hush','Jamie Raeburn','Bonny Ythanside' everyone will think that I've just knicked them off her latest album......forgetting totally 'Shipyard App/Westm'land/Her Father/International/Steamboat/Johnny etc' ...just all great songs from Fisher/Rafferty etc that she really did do really great justice to. Loved (rather than love) her ! And thanks for giving us all marvellous lyrics to a tremendous air !

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Jim McLean
Date: 25 May 11 - 06:45 AM

Thanks, mulv, but the song had been recorded correctly many years before BD recorded it. It has also been printed with the correct music. I am very grateful when people sing any of my songs but quite a bit of effort goes into marrying words to music and I just feel it is important to do a bit of research before singing any song.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Gavin Paterson
Date: 03 Feb 16 - 03:09 PM

I have to say, Jim McLean if you see this, your name has cropped up all over the place in the past week or so.

I've been asked to sing this song so I came here to re-search it and found your name. I recently watched The Eskimo Republic concert from 1994 on Vimeo, again your name is attached to these songs. And I've been reading the Singing From The Floor book and there you are again!

Smashing song, thanks for making it.

Subject: RE: Origins: Smile In Your Sleep / Hush, hush
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 03 Feb 16 - 09:19 PM

I learned this lovely song from the DT version, which omits the second verse: I have since heard others sing the whole song. It was amended to include all the verses way up this thread,so could it possibly be revised in the DT to include all the verses?