Robert Burns - 250th Birthday, 25 January 2009

Subject: robert burns
From: goatfell
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 06:43 AM

On the 25th of Jan is the 250th birthday of Robert Burns

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: Leadfingers
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 09:00 AM

My Word ! That really IS news .

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: Megan L
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 09:38 AM

I wonder if the Scottish parilment are doing anything to comemorate the day. Probably not he wasn't a posh bloke like Sir Walter Scott

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: bobad
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 09:47 AM

At least one Scottish parliamentarian will be commemorating the day by coming over to Canada to celebrate Kenny MacAskill

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 24 Jan 09 - 10:41 AM

(I realise now that this is quite a long contribution, but "my pen quite ran away with me" as the man said).   

No, there's quite a lot of publicity in the media, primarily because there's a thing called "The Homecoming" which is an initiative to encourage millions of people from America, Canada, Australia &c &c to visit Scotland for holidays, golf, ancestor-tracing and the like; the commercial aspect of this, naturally if a bit dispiritingly, has been given a great deal of emphasis. I understand the idea was put forward some time ago by a certain Jim Wallace of the "Liberal Democrat Party", when it was in partnership with the "Labour Party" in the Scottish Parliament; now it's the "Scottish National Party" which is in charge (albeit a minority administration, but they're doing so well in social legislation which does have genuine and demonstrable benefits for many people that I think it likely they'll be returned with a real majority at the next election). Now that it's the "S.N.P." that is in charge, however, the other parties are already sniping away at the "Homecoming". There are absurdities to the campaign, not least a dreadful video in which a succession of "celebrities" sing a word or two out of a song called "Caledonia" by ?Dougie MacLean (one would have thought that something by the Bard himself might have been more appropriate), as part of this campaign to bring people from "The Scottish Diaspora" back on a visit; but as far as I understand, the video is being shown only in Scotland!!! No doubt someone has made a good deal of money out of it, though. There have been a few of the usual kinds of BBC programmes, too; little beyond very basic biographical information and the usual, very familar songs, and too much emphasis given to the usual "talking heads" who take too long to contribute too little. I can readily understand why some of Burns's more political work will still be suppressed or misrepresented; after all, much of it is in principle still directly relevant today. Many people are still in want, while others on countless thousands (of pounds) rant away; and it's the latter who decide how funds are allocated, and to whom, and for what purpose. And when you can have "A Man's a Man for aa that" sung in the presence of one of the usurping Hanoverian "royalty" without anyone roaring with laughter at the way the puir cuif is being insulted to his face, it's pretty obvious that the true import of these "good prose thoughts inverted into rhyme" has been subverted into a complacent acceptance of poverty rather than a contemptuous dismissal of artifical human rank and title.

Finally, I was concerned to notice in part of a BBC news/current affairs programme the other night an attempt to emphasise the role of the English antiquarian Joseph Ritson in influencing Burns's song-collecting, with reference to Ritson's 1795 collection. By that time, of course, Burns had already been engaged in this activity (as well as composing, as well as working bluidy hard for a living) for a decade; worse, there was not any mention of David Herd's collections of 1769 and 1776. Burns certainly knew of them and - as Hecht showed more than a century ago - had access to "Auld Greysteil's" MSS when he was in Edinburgh. It's a pity that the Academics involved in the programme were either ignorant of this scholarship or, worse, content to conceal it.

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: bradfordian
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 04:46 AM

Happy 252th Birthday Robbie

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: quokka
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 08:17 AM

Happy Birthday Mr Burns...i shall now go and listen to some Eddi Reader singing your beautiful songs :-)

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 09:03 AM

IMHO Scotland has produced the worlds two finest poets, Robert Burns and Hamish Henderson.

Dave H

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 09:15 AM

My own wee contribution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF-ZFExmAZU

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: buddhuu
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 09:25 AM

We did our Burns Supper on Saturday because:

a) More people would make it along
b) Tuesday is session day

Here's a short video of the Address to the Haggis that I was able to grab.

Happy Birthday, Rabbie.

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 10:41 AM

Thanks for the video, Suibhne.

I hadn't realized that today was a big day, yet already I have played Burns' song 'Flow Gently Sweet Afton' on my dulcimer.

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 10:45 AM

Thanks for your link, too. buddhuu. I would have liked to be there.

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: folkyshaun
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 10:51 AM

I used some of the mans words for a wee tune a while ago. You can here it here. http://www.myspace.com/beardsallowed

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: folkyshaun
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 10:53 AM

http://www.myspace.com/beardsallowed

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: bobad
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 11:02 AM

In tribute to Robbie Burns:

Ode Tae A Fart

Oh what a sleekit horrible beastie
Lurks in your belly efter the feastie
Just as ye sit doon among yer kin
There sterts to stir an enormous wind
The neeps and tatties and mushy peas
Stert workin like a gentle breeze
But soon the puddin wi the sauncie face
Will have ye blawin all ower the place

Nae matter whit the hell ye dae
A'body's gonnae hiv tae pay
Even if ye try tae stifle
It's like a bullet oot a rifle
Hawd yer bum tight tae the chair
Tae try and stop the leakin air
Shifty yersel fae cheek tae cheek
Prae tae God it doesnae reek

But aw yer efforts go assunder
Oot it comes like a clap o thunder
Ricochets aroon the room
Michty me a sonic boom
God almighty it fairly reeks
Hope I huvnae shit my breeks
Tae the bog I better scurry
Aw whit the hell it's no ma worry

A'body roon aboot me chokin
Wan or two are nearly bokin
I'll feel better for a while
Cannae help but raise a smile
Wiz him! I shout with accusin glower
Alas too late, he's just keeled ower
Ye dirty bugger they shout and stare
A dinnae feel welcome any mair

Where e'ere ye go let yer wind gan' free
Sounds like just the job fur me
Whit a fuss at rabbie's party
Ower the sake o one wee farty

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 11:17 AM

Bobad thon wes grand!

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: bradfordian
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 11:23 AM

Sedayne, that song would fit beautifully in the new Mudcat Seasonal CD 2011 if you fancy contributing it.

Folkyshaun, that's a lovely alternative tune to the one with which we are all familiar.

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: EllenV
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 12:32 PM

Huzzah for Burns and Bonnie Scotland!

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: GUEST,Folkiedave
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 01:05 PM

I played a selection of Burns songs on my radio show Friday.

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 06:07 PM

quokka - please seek out some of the many other singers of Burns songs - Ms Reeder really does not do them justice, and seems to have little understanding and less knowledge of the man and his works.

Burns collected folk songs, traditional songs, as well as writing words to set to fiddle tunes - and in my opinion a superficial 'pop' rendition does not do him justice.

check the thread    Lovely versions of Roberts Burns Songs for others' opinions.

Subject: RE: robert burns
From: EBarnacle
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 11:45 PM

Ahhh, the haggis, that noble pudding.

Subject: RE: Robert Burns - 250th Birthday, 25 January
From: Diva
Date: 26 Jan 11 - 06:26 PM

bobdad...loved the poem..
and i'll second what gallus moll said......re Ms Reader

I'd nominate The Voice Squad singing Ae Fond Kiss as one of the finest versions...Tam White The Slaves Lament

Subject: RE: Robert Burns - 250th Birthday, 25 January
From: Diva
Date: 26 Jan 11 - 06:33 PM

and for me the iconic version of A Man's a Man is Sheena Wellington's

Subject: RE: Robert Burns - 250th Birthday, 25 January
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Oct 20 - 10:02 AM

as long as the ghastly Eddi Reader got nowhere near it

Subject: RE: Robert Burns - 250th Birthday, 25 January
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 06 Oct 20 - 05:58 AM

Lesley Hale singing A Mother's Lament......

Subject: RE: Robert Burns - 250th Birthday, 25 January
From: saulgoldie
Date: 06 Oct 20 - 10:50 AM

I would love to properly honor the day. (I hope that the world will have settled down a bit by then.)

I got the scotch part down pretty well. I *think* I'd like to try some authentic haggis. (Perhaps I will live to regret this, however.) But most importantly, I wish I knew how to appreciate his poetry. If it is not a song or is not well narrated, I really don't "get" poetry.

Is there any hope for me? Maybe just stick to the scotch...

Saul

Subject: RE: Robert Burns - 250th Birthday, 25 January
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 06 Oct 20 - 11:22 AM

Don't think Burns drank much, if any, whisky? His health /constitution was not great, so he mainly drank ale as did most folks in that time (water was not 'treated' in the 1700s!)
Another gripe I have about Burns Suppers is - why on earth do people wear tartan/ Highland dress? His fathers ancestecedents came from Argyll, near Taynuilt, but his father farmed in the North East, then moved to Ayrshire hodden grey would have been the apparel there!

Subject: RE: Robert Burns - 250th Birthday, 25 January
From: GUEST,JHW
Date: 07 Oct 20 - 05:54 PM

An excuse to mention Rod Paterson.
e.g. the Lea Rigg

Subject: RE: Robert Burns - 250th Birthday, 25 January 2009
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Oct 20 - 06:45 PM

Any excuse to mention Rod Paterson is a good one, JHW. I've seen him perform on at least two of my Jim Malcolm Scotland tours, and his performances were exquisite. I also got to hear Emily Smith twice, and she was also wonderful.

But Rod Paterson has such a smooth, beautiful voice - and his song interpretations are always intelligent and engaging. And on top of that, he's just a nice person.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Robert Burns - 250th Birthday, 25 January 2009
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 08 Oct 20 - 08:45 AM

Agree, Rod Paterson is wonderful!