HISTORY OF THE SONG: In 1592, the Earl of Huntley lured the Earl of Murray to his castle on pretenses, in order to slay him as a traitor to the crown. Murray's people (Clan Chattan, with whom Willie MacIntosh was aligned) declared they would seek revenge up Huntley for Murray's death. In the ensuring battle, 60 men of Clan Chattan were slain.

Crows were a feared symbol of war, and would feast upon the dead after a battle. Legend has it that some Celtic warriors went into battle with grain in their pockets for use in the event of a large-scale slaughter ... when burial was not possible, the grain would be sown and the crops would engulf the carrion.

Some highly ritualized Celtic burial mounds have been unearthed containing parts of chariots, battle gear, drink and food, toques and valuables for use in the afterlife. One unearthed ancient Celtic battle helmet featured a crow atop it, with hinged wings that would "flap" as the wearer sped toward his enemy - making the warrior appear most fierce and unearthly - quite a frightening sight. Some Celtic lore purports that warriors were known to exacerbate their own battle wounds, to make themselves look more courageous. What a strange and wonderful culture.

My duo has been singing this 2-verse ballad for many years. The disonant harmonies are a real show-stopper, and will bring conversation noise in a performance space to pin-dropping silence. You can check out some MP3s of our tunes at www.ceceandruth.com
Posted Cece Borjeson