John Strachan - Songs From Aberdeenshire

Subject: John Strachan
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 01:00 AM

I just picked up this CD of John Strachan called "Songs From Aberdeenshire", a field recording by Allan Lomax with plenty of pleasant banter between them... in an informal setting. I wonder if this is familiar to anyone... I will be dragging material off of this recording, as it is a nice selection.

Rounder 82161-1835-2

Subject: RE: John Strachan
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 07:23 AM

familiar yes, I heard Binnorie (Child 10, Two Sisters)sung by Strachan

Subject: RE: John Strachan
From: GUEST,Spike
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 07:42 AM

Good lord, Mr J Strachan, otherwise known a few years ago(as long as its the same enormous, hairy, north east person!) as Ying Tong John, purveyor of strange musical entertainment, and possesed of large voice accompanied by expensive martin guitar played with gusto!!!

Subject: RE: John Strachan
From: GUEST,Roberto
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 12:34 PM

Yes, John Strachan is familiar to me. Peter Kennedy,at Folktrax, has two CDs by him. The Rounder CD comes from that stuff, and I think it contains the best recordings he made. His songs are also in very important collections of ballads, such as The Muckle Sangs (Greentrax), with Child ballads in Scottish versions, and the two volumes by Rounder, Classic ballads of Britain and Ireland. One of the very best traditional singers. Binnorie,O Binnorie, his version of The Twa Sisters, is a masterpiece. His Robin Hood is one of the very few Robin Hood ballads I've heard from a traditional singer, and not a folk singer or classical performers. Other very fine Child ballads are his versions of Johnnie O Breadislie, The Knight and the Shpepherd Daughter and Clyde's Water, the song that Nic Jones recorded as The Drowned Lovers. And I'd like to mention his rendition of The Bonnie Lass of Fyvie. Ewan MacColl sang a similar version, maybe inspired by John Strachan. Roberto Campo

Subject: RE: John Strachan
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 02:36 PM

Most of the songs you mentioned Roberto, are on this CD, but the one that I will learn first, is 'Harrowing Time'. Thanks for the perspective! ttr

Subject: RE: John Strachan
From: Nerd
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 02:56 PM

Strachan was great (no Martin guitar, tho). He was actually quite a prosperous landowner, and his attraction to Bothy Ballads was a little eccentric for one in his position. But he seems to have gotten on very well with his many bothy-dwelling employees and certainly had empathy for any man who worked on a farm.

Strachan often carried with him written or typed pages with the words to his longer songs, because he had trouble remembering them. So on that CD, you'll probably be able to hear papers rustling as he sings! But he was all in all a great singer, with fine long versions of many ballads.

Subject: RE: John Strachan
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 08:00 PM

Yes there are many fine songs on this CD, but I haven't noticed the papers crincling yet... I wouldn't doubt that it's because I've tuned it out for so many years... Thanks for the info ahhhh... nerd!

Subject: RE: John Strachan
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 08:15 PM

And, of course, you can get it from CAMSCO. $13.98 ($15.98 from Rounder; $17.98! from CDNow. 800/548-FOLK (3655)