Lyr Correction: Caledonia (Dougie MacLean)

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: GUEST,Mjm
Date: 10 Dec 07 - 08:31 AM

Need a good midi file so that we can play caledonia whilst we sign the wedding register! Please help.

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 10:06 AM

I can add a little information to some of what was said above :
Dougie had met up with 3 North of Ireland musicians in Brittany after quitting the "Tannies". They were Desi Wilkinson – still playing with "Cran",- and also fiddler Paddy O'Neill and a banjo player who I never met. They all went over to Belfast, and Desi, along with a singer/guitar-player known as "Cos" came over to Scotland with Dougie, first to Dunkeld, then to Aberdeen, Inverness and the Thurso Folk Festival. We then headed over to Ullapool and stayed there busking for the best part of a week before hitching back to Dunkeld. Desi and Cos then managed to get a single lift all the way to the South of France. Happy days – would have been 1977, I reckon, and "Caledonia" was sung many times in that 10 days or so.
[ Bloody hell – that's 30 years ago !!! ]

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Ross
Date: 18 Apr 07 - 08:47 AM

I sometimes sing....the kisses flowered

which is a nice deviation

Someone at our folk club said she had seen Dougie Maclean in concert and he had said he had thought about writing the song whilst sitting around a camp fire in France thinking about how he was missing home

The empty room, afore was quiet; has always confused me

Ock, there's a Jock, in the loch

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 07 Apr 07 - 12:34 AM

Imagaine, for instance, this lady's man trying to get out of town in a hurry ...

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 07 Apr 07 - 12:09 AM

Must say I get a kick out of those earlier lyrics above - "with coattails flying" - I see this guy in some formal Victorian coat just tearing down the road with an angry husband in hot pursuit ...

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: AWG
Date: 06 Apr 07 - 10:28 PM

Ahhhhhh..... Caledonia. Never heard this song until Lisa Kelly (from Celtic Woman) sang it. Wow !! She really nails it !! I bet Dougie MacLean would be oh so proud.

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 11 Mar 04 - 12:15 PM

Uncle Jacque - I'm sure Dougie does it (and so do I!) in Open 'C' tuning (CGCGCE) capoed at the 4th Fret, which makes it in E? Check out Dougie's Interactive Songbook CD-ROM, it's on there. Come back and hit me if I'm wrong!

Re the small variances in what people believe are the 'proper' words, I've noticed that performers (Dougie included) often sing slightly different words to the ones printed in sleeve notes. Sing whichever you prefer, nobody will mind! :0)

Johnny

Subject: RE: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 11 Mar 04 - 11:58 AM

One of my favorites as well.

Iv'e sort of worked out the chords myself; Dougie does it in "F" as near as I can figure, but since i sing baritone and am lazy when it comes to barred chords, I transposed to "G" and it sounds OK to me and my Domestic Management.

It's got a syncopated 6:8 beat to it, doesn't it?

As much as I favor fingerpicking, this is one I use a thumb-strum for (picks are for tuning a 12-string where my finger won't fit, as far as I'm concerned) with the accent on the first beat;

"ONE-twothreefourfivesix;ONE-twothreefour..." etc.

It makes a jolly grand campfire ditty, to be sure.

I only wish I could accompany myself on the whistle, but haven't figured out how to sing and play guitar & whistle @ the same time.
If any of you get that trick down pat, please drop me a clue, won't you? {8^{D~

UJ in ME

PS: How drunk does one have to be in order to get far away from Maine? **~~{B>{P~

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 04 - 05:20 PM

Do any of you guys have the piano chords for this tune?
Tx,

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Jeri
Date: 01 Feb 03 - 12:49 PM

I've done a MIDI and you can hear it here.[Dead Link]

I'll get a MIDIText file up here later, but I really want to un-screw-up the ABC part first. The one problem I have is that the rhythm and sometimes melody changes from verse to verse. How to get the flavor of the tune without making it overly complicated?

If you think something's messed up with the MIDI or that it should be simpler in places than it is, please PM me. Yes, there is a gap between the first and second halves of verses - he's doing intstumental stuff in there.

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: GUEST,Cluin
Date: 01 Feb 03 - 12:37 PM

I have the original album itself (great album) that your photocopy came from. I also have both a vinyl and CD copies of "Craigie Dhu" where Dougie re-recorded the song. Both sets of lyrics agree with Joe O.'s posted words above.

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: OldPossum
Date: 01 Feb 03 - 08:15 AM

I have a photocopy of the cover of the album Caledonia by Dougie MacLean & Alan Roberts, which has lyrics on the cover, and I can confirm that the song as posted by Joe Offer is correct. The credits and copyright info is also correct.

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Trevor
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 06:59 AM

And look at this
for a great web site.

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Declan
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 05:35 AM

Desi Wilkinson. Great Flute player !

Was it Billy Connolly who used to go on about songs about Scotland so far away - the drunker you get the further it gets.

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Strupag
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 09:06 PM

Actually Dougie wrote this song in Brittany,
He told me this once in Ullapool.
Atfer he left the "tannies" (Tannahill Weavers) he was busking and giging with two Irish boys ( Desi something - the might have gone on to form Cran)
Anyway, Dougie said that after doing a bit of busking in Rennes, the boys bought a carry out and headed north for the coast. Des was emotional with the drink and was looking out to sea and kept on saying " Ireland's over there!"
Dougie thought of a wee country just east of Ireland and went away into a corner and wrote Caledonia.
That's how I was told it anyway.

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Noreen
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 09:09 AM

*grin*

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Jeri
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 08:57 AM

Oh. I thought maybe the 'forest choir' was something that didn't make sense in English.

You see, he's sitting there in an empty room with a fire going because it's cold, and he's got the windows open, listening to...er, no. Maybe he just came back in from a walk?

It rhymes.

I worked on a midi yesterday. Easy verse melody, but the chorus is a ba..... it's tough. Rhythm oddities.

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Noreen
Date: 30 Jan 03 - 08:36 AM

Clinton, that makes more sense to me, thank you.
(Jeri, I couldn't work out what those sorts of sounds of the forest had to do with the rest of the song.)

I've loved this song for a long time.

Lost the friends that I needed losing-
found others on the way...

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 09:41 PM

In the context, I always took "Forest Choir" to be the sound of the "Sitting here, befor the fire..."

As in the sound wood makes when it's burning...

Joe... ya those last set of lyrics are right...

;-)

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Jeri
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 09:06 PM

I'd think the room's empty because all his stuff is packed or everyone else is gone. Forest choir is what I hear on summer nights when various critters (frogs, crickets, birds, etc.) get very loud. If you don't love it, it could drive you nuts.

Joe got the last set of lyrics from Dougie's CD. Should be pretty close!

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Noreen
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 08:58 PM

the empty room, the forest choir
means: what, exactly?

I've always thought it was meant to be
the empty room afore is quiet

mondegreened into submission by repeated reinforcement.

Anyone ever ask Dougie for his words?

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Cluin
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 05:18 PM

*LOL*

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Strupag
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 02:51 PM

I think I might put this one on my thread "favourite folk stories" also but this thread reminded me of a story that Dougie once told me.
When Caledonia became an actual top twenty hit here in Scotland, Dougie was travelling back home from a tour. He phoned home and his wife said "Could you pop in somehwere and get a bottle of whatever"
Dougie was passing a bar in Glasgow in quite a rough district.
He stopped to go in for his "carry-oot" and he saw a wee drunk man staggering out of the bar with the loaded plastic bag entwining with his legs. Following him was a wee wifey with curlers still in and she was shouting, "Yer jest anoot the maist useless drunkin thing that has ivir put legs in a pair of troosers!"
The wee drunk man turned round, held his hands apart, still holding his carry-oot, and sang "Let Me Tell You How Ah Luv Ya"

Noo that's whit ah ca' acclaimation!

Subject: Lyr Add: CALEDONIA (Dougie MacLean)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 02:40 PM

OK. I found printed lyrics.Have I got it right?
-Joe Offer-

---

CALEDONIA (2)
(Dougie MacLean)

I don't know if you can see
the changes that have come over me
In these last few days I've been afraid
that I might drift away
I've been telling old stories, singing songs
that make me think about where I came from
And that's the reason why I seem
so far away today

CHORUS
Let me tell you that I love you
and I think about you all the time
Caledonia, you're calling me
and now I'm going home
For if I should become a stranger
you know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had


I have moved and I've kept on moving-
proved the points that I needed proving
Lost the friends that I needed losing-
found others on the way
I have kissed the ladies and left them crying-
stolen dreams, yes there's no denying
I have traveled hard, sometimes with conscience flying,
somewhere with the wind
(Chorus)

Now I'm sitting here before the fire,
the empty room, the forest choir
The flames that couldn't get any higher -
they've withered now they've gone
But I'm steady thinking, my way is clear
and I know what I will do tomorrow
When the hands have shaken and the kisses flowed
then I will disappear
(Chorus)

Copyright 1982 Plant Life Music Ltd.

from the 1983 Dunkeld Records album "Craigie Dhu"
lyrics from the CD booklet "The Dougie MacLean Collection" (Putamayo World Music)

The CD booklet says "When the hands have shaken and the kisses flowed," and I think that's what I hear on the recording. I think I might prefer to sing "when the hands are shaken and the kisses blown." JRO

@home @Scots
filename[ CALDONI
JRO

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Jeri
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 02:23 PM

Joe, the words don't look wrong to me, although there may be minor mistakes. I'm not sure where my CD is, but I at least know the tune pretty well. Will do a MIDI a bit later unless someone else gets it first.

Subject: re: Correction: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jan 03 - 02:17 PM

Well, it looks like we never got a completely correct version of these lyrics into the Digital Tradition. Here is what we have. If somebody is willing to post a definitive transcription of the lyrics, plus copyright information, that would be very nice. Post it right here in this thread, complete. Be sure to cite your source, which should be some official, printed transcription of the song (the DT version has some interesting mondegreens, so I suppose it was done by somebody who listened to a recording). I'll make sure it gets into the Digital Tradition.
It would also be nice to have a MIDI. If you e-mail it to me, I'll post it in Mudcat MIDIs.Thanks.
-Joe Offer (click to e-mail)-

---

CALEDONIA (2) (current DT version)
(Dougie MacLean)

I don't know if you can see
The changes that have come over me
In these last few days I've been afraid
That I might drift away
So I've been telling old stories, singing songs
That make me think about where I came from
And that's the reason why I seem
So far away today

Oh, but let me tell you that I love you
That I think about you all the time
Caledonia you're calling me
And now I'm going home
If I should become a stranger
You know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything
I've ever had

Now I have moved and I've kept on moving
Proved the points that I needed proving
Lost the friends that I needed losing
Found others on the way
I have kissed the ladies and left them crying
Stolen dreams, yes there's no denying
I have traveled hard with coattails flying
Somewhere in the wind

(Chorus)
Now I'm sitting here before the fire
The empty room, the forest choir
The flames that could not get any higher
They've withered now they've gone
But I'm steady thinking my way is clear
And I know what I will do tomorrow
When the hands are shaken and the kisses flow
Then I will disappear

Copyright 1982 Plant Life Music Ltd.
@home @Scots
filename[ CALDONI
CC

---

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Subject: RE: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: Susan of DT
Date: 13 Aug 99 - 10:08 PM

Yes, you reach the right eyes here, but we may not get to every thread every time, so it is safer to e-mail them to Dick at [e-mail]. New editions come out twice a year, so you won't see instant corrections.

Subject: RE: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: marion
Date: 13 Aug 99 - 02:55 PM

True. Also, the line

"When the hands are shaken and the kisses flow"

should read, "the kisses blown."

There are a few other differences from the way I know it that are minor. But I'm not sure if corrections suggested on this forum get to the right ears or not.

Subject: Caledonia by Dougie MacLean
From: John Hill
Date: 13 Aug 99 - 12:38 PM

Lyrics in the digital tradition - Please note that the second verse 7th line should read "I have travelled hard with conscience flying" ... not "with coattails flying"