Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: cnd
Date: 10 Jul 20 - 05:17 PM

GUEST, a wonderful website to check out if you ever encounter that problem again: www.archive.org ; there's no guarantee they've archived the website, but they archive millions of pages from online -- and if you're ever worried a website you love is gonna go down, you can archive the pages there too, for free.

At any rate, that page was saved online. From that archived webpage:

Song Notes:
Thomas Muir was a Scottish republican and revolutionary. Here are some notes about him by Jack Campin

THOMAS MUIR OF HUNTERSHILL
Words & Music: Adam McNaughton
Lyric as sung by Dick Gaughan

My name is Thomas Muir as a lawyer I was trained
  Remember Thomas Muir of Huntershill
But you've branded me an outlaw, for sedition I'm arraigned
  Remember Thomas Muir of Huntershill
But I never preached sedition in any shape or form
And against the constitution I have never raised a storm
It's the scoundrels who've corrupted it that I want to reform
  Remember Thomas Muir of Huntershill

M'lord, you found me guilty before the trial began
  Remember...
And the jury that you've picked are Tory placemen to a man
  Remember...
Yet here I stand for judgement unafraid what may befall
Though your spies were in my parish Kirk and in my father's hall
Not one of them can testify I ever broke a law
  Remember...

Yes, I spoke to Paisley weavers and addressed the city's youth
For neither age nor class should be a barrier to the truth
M'lord, you may chastise them with your vitriolic tongue
You say that books are dangerous to those I moved among
But the future of our land is with the workers and the young

Members of the jury, it's not me who's being tried
200 years in future they will mind what you decide
You may send me to Van Dieman's Land or clap me in the jail
Grant me death or grant me liberty my spirit will not fail
For my cause it is a just one and my cause it will prevail

With quiet words and dignity Muir led his own defence
He appeared completely blameless to those with common sense
When he had finished speaking the courtroom rang with cheers
Lord Braxfield said, "This outburst just confirms our greatest fears"
And he sentenced Thomas Muir to be transported 14 years

Gerrard, Palmer, Skirving, Thomas Muir and Margarot
These are names that every Scottish man and woman ought to know
When you're called for jury service, when your name is drawn by lot
When you vote in an election when you freely voice your thought
Don't take these things for granted, for dearly were they bought

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jul 20 - 07:13 AM

the 30 Sept 2012 link from Leadfingers to Adam McNaughtan's lyrics on Dick Gaughan webside no longer works. Maybe someone could add those lyrics here.

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: GUEST,Gallus Moll
Date: 07 Jul 20 - 03:07 PM

argh, got my cut and paste mixed up----think it is only chorus that is c0nfused?!

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: GUEST,Gallus Moll
Date: 07 Jul 20 - 03:06 PM

Iain Ingram's second song inspired by Thomas Muir of Huntershill and the Scottish Patriots - again, you need to contactr Iain or me to hear it sung!!

Rogues and Vagabonds

In every century men o’ destiny
Wi thoughts beyond thir time
Hae been the guiding lights
in the darkness
Though few forever shine

Even though they fade away
It’s the legacy they lea that will endure
And the world is a better place
through the hardship         
and suffering o’ Thomas Muir
        
Rogues and Vagabonds hae seen thir day
The seeds o’ bitterness are blawn away
But the seed he planted will bloom forever
And flourish in the cauldest clay

A revolution o’ constitutional change
Was a’ he planned
Ne’er a wild uprising or bloody battle
He’d stomach for the rights o’ man

Mair an education in quiet persuasion
And a voice for silent men
But an agitator tae men o’ title        
A thorn within thir rosy den

Rogues and Vagabonds….

Frae the fairms and cotton mills
O’er the Campsie Hills
the bleaching fields and a’
tae a tryst o’working men intermingled
wi sleekit yins wha’d see him fa’        

Weel paid infiltrators these mischief makers
Oot tae justify thir fees
And thir accusations brought ruination
Tae martyrs banished o’er the seas                                  Song notes: Thomas Muir was the man
                                                                                          who sowed the seeds for the democratic
Rogues and Vagabonds…..                                              system in Scotland that we all enjoy today.
                                                                                          The young Scottish lawyer who, in the late eighteen century, stood up for the rights of the common man.
Music and lyrics by Iain Ingram

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: GUEST,Gallus Moll
Date: 07 Jul 20 - 03:00 PM

Iain Ingram's first 'Thomas Muir' song - you'll need to contact Iain or me to hear it sung!!

AWA FRAE HUNTERSHILL
Iain Ingram

        
Nights are lang and never ending
Days o joy and happiness
Are strangers noo tae me
Freens and family Ah’ll remember
In the place Ah’d rather be

        Chained, shackled and deported
                Cast adrift upon the tide
        Shipped across twa mighty oceans
                Tae this world’s other side


Talk o change and law reforming
Brought me doon
Courtesy o those who bore me ill
Sending me damned for sedition
Far awa frae Huntershill
                                
        Chained, shackled and deported
                Cast adrift upon the tide
        Shipped across twa might oceans
                Tae this world’s other side


Through my years o forced adventure
Aw my thochts
Aye were on the rights o honest men
And for their freedom o opinion
Ah’d gang through this fate again

        Chained, shackled and deported
                Cast adrift upon the tide
        Shipped across twa mighty oceans
                Tae this world’s other side

                        _______________________



“Awa Frae Huntershill”    by Iain Ingram


In the late eighteenth century, a young Scottish lawyer and social reformer by the name of Thomas Muir was charged and convicted of sedition.

The Judge sentenced him to 14 years of penal servitude in Botany Bay.

Thomas’s crime had been, through public address, to urge the common man to lobby the government of the day for the right to vote.
This was a time when only men of title enjoyed that privilege.

While the sentence was undoubtedly harsh, the French Revolution was taking place just across the English Channel.
The British Government and monarchy were very nervous of something similar happening here.
Those expressing opinions, which were viewed as being anti-establishment, were dealt with severely.

While Thomas never lived to see his reforms implemented, he had sown the seeds of change.
For that reason, many regard him as the father of Scottish Democracy.

The song was written by Iain Ingram after he had read a biography of Thomas Muir, and is in the form of a fictional letter from Botany Bay to his parents in the Huntershill area of Springburn in the City of Glasgow.

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 03:01 PM

Here’s Adam MacNaughtan singing his song


https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZaJr37ZURgxUVBnxfbb8jl8Vkq6FQAe1Ezy

Maybe somebody could make a blue clicky

BB

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: Jack Campin
Date: 06 Jul 20 - 12:13 PM

Muir is now allowed to practice as an advocate again.

story in The National

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughton
From: Jack Campin
Date: 01 Oct 12 - 07:58 AM

In that 1820 gathering, the authorities would obviously have arrested the ringleaders on some pretext or other.

Bt then, the association with Muir was largely forgotten. The tune had become a proto-nationalist anthem associated with William Wallace, who was becoming a cult figure in Scotland. The fact that Burns was mainly using Wallace as an allegory for Muir didn't come into it.

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughton
From: Scabby Douglas
Date: 01 Oct 12 - 07:01 AM

Wikipedia has the following:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scots_Wha_Hae

and the BBC History section has the following page:
Enlightenment Radicals

"when 16 000 protested in Paisley, and the band was arrested just for playing Burns' 'Scots Wha Hae'"

The only caveat I'd make with regard to the band being arrested in Paisley is that I'm sure I have seen a similar story about a band in Wishaw or Airdrie. Can't trace it at present.

But it seems that the Establishment clearly regarded Scots Wha Hae as expressing seditious sentiments in its own right. Whether that can be linked to its creation as a covert tribute to Muir, or simply due to the way it was being used at political gatherings, may not be established.

Regards


Steven C

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughton
From: Jack Campin
Date: 30 Sep 12 - 09:24 PM

The link between Scots Wha Hae and Muir is far more than speculation. Burns wrote it immediately after seeing Muir transported in chains on his way to his trial, and the note in his manuscript of the song says he had an event "not so ancient" in mind.

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughton
From: Leadfingers
Date: 30 Sep 12 - 08:57 PM

The link to Dick Gaughan's site is out of date ! Look Here

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughton
From: Stewie
Date: 30 Sep 12 - 08:53 PM

Gallus Moll,

The album is still available through Music in Scotland:

Last Stand at Mount Florida.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 30 Sep 12 - 02:00 PM

Thanks, Stewie,

ear;ierust told this already today by someone else! So I have been looking online to purchase it ---- just as a matter of interest,
does anyone know of any other songs (or poems) about Thomas Muir and/or The Scottish Martyrs?

Adam McNaughtan - Thomas Muir of Huntershill
Iain Ingram - Awa Frae Huntershill and Rogues and Vagabonds

are the three I have heard - I have also heard speculation that Robert Burns wrote Scots Wha Hae in honour of Muir / The Martyrs --can anyone point me towards confirmation of this?

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughton
From: Stewie
Date: 29 Sep 12 - 08:37 PM

You can find Adam McNaughtan singing it on his 'Last Stand at Mount Florida' Greentrax CDTRAX 120 [1996].

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughton
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 29 Sep 12 - 07:26 PM

I am annoyed that I didn't take my recorder - - however the seminar was video-recorded (they produced a dvd of last year's) so they lassie's version should be available on that.
I hope that some more songs about this man's amazing life and adventures will beginn to appear as people become more aware of what he endured to give us the freedom we have now.

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughton
From: Anne Neilson
Date: 29 Sep 12 - 04:54 PM

Well said, Gallus Moll!

And anyone who has heard Adam himself sing it will appreciate the emotional impact of this terrific story -- a timely reminder to all of us that we cannot take our freedoms for granted and we sometimes have to stand up to be counted.

(And I hope someone had the nous to record the Turnbull High pupil!)

Subject: RE: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughton
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 29 Sep 12 - 04:14 PM

The second Thomas Muir of Huntershill Festival in Bishopbriggs ended this weekend -- gradually people are becoming more aware of this amazing man, and the other Scottish Martyrs whose efforts gave us rights so many of us now take for granted, the right to vote, the independence and fairness of courts etc.

On Thursday at a seminar on The Scottish Enlightenment, Adam's song was sung as a ballad by a third year pupil of Turnbull High school, Bishopbrigggs -- sung with stunning impact.
One of the speakers was Olly Wyatt. whose book The Democrat is a novel based on the life of Thomas Muir.      
                  
At the previous Saturday's concert, Iain Ingram sang two songs he had written after being inspired by the Life and Times of Thomas Muir - Awa' Frae Huntershill and Rogues and Vagabonds.

If you have never heard of Thomas Muir -- reesearch him NOW!!!!! The events of his short life will make your heart break - - but make you so thankful that people like him. people with such committment to their fellow men and women, had the courage of their convictions.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: Big Tim
Date: 15 Oct 02 - 10:18 AM

No: not as far as I have read, i.e. a biography of both Muirs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: michaelr
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 08:25 PM

Any relation to John Muir ("Redwood Cathedral")?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: Big Tim
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 03:35 PM

Wolfe Tone said of him "of all the vain, obstinate blockheads that I ever met, I never saw his equal". I think he meant it affectionately!Tone himself was of course very far from being perfect.

If ever a man deserved to be commemorated in song it was Thomas Muir.
He may have been foolhardy but basically he sacrificed his life to try and improve the lot of others.

Steven: I know where you are, for many years I used to run in the Springburn 5 [mile road race], the first Saturday in the New Year, from the Huntershill Sports Centre.

Cheers, BT.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: Scabby Douglas
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 10:35 AM

Yeah, well, the notion of the judiciary being separate from, and independent of, the legislature and government is a notion that was as prone to abuse in those days as it is now... but maybe more so then..

Adam McNaughgtan came to Campsie Folk Club last year and this was one of the songs he sang. In his usual way, he found a link to the venue for the concert. The Kincaid House hotel where the event was being held, is adjacent to the farm land of Birdston, which had been the property of the Muir family before they moved to Huntershill..

It's a great song. Muir's story is quite remarkable, and made even more so, because of the way in which he escaped from Australia and made his way back to Europe.

Cheers


enjoy singing it..


Steven

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: Teribus
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 09:26 AM

Thanks to those above, especially Watson.

Steven, thanks for the link. The reason I want to learn the song is to do with it's connection to Burn's "Scots Wha Hae".

I originally read about Thomas Muir in Tom Steele's book "Scotlands Story". I don't have it with me but wasn't there something about due process of law in Scotland being put aside to conduct the trial? The trial lasted a day with five and a half hours of defence eye witness testimony that clearly proved Muir's innocence, all of which was completely ignored by Lord Braxfield.

It is an extremely good song written in retrosect. It is factual and accurate unlike some written on other topics.

Thanks again,

Teribus.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: Scabby Douglas
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 06:29 AM

Info about Thomas Muir

The Muir family home - Huntershill House - still stands. I live about 1 mile from it. Muir's life is commemorated locally by a plaque, and in street names.. One of the local high schools is named after him.


Cheers


Steven

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: Watson
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 06:00 AM

The song is by Adam McNaughtan. It was recorded by Dick Gaughan on Redwood Cathedral. Here are the lyrics on Dick Gaughan's website.

Subject: Lyr Add: Thomas Muir - Adam McNaughtan
From: Teribus
Date: 14 Oct 02 - 04:36 AM

Does anyone know who has recorded the the above song? If so could they please supply details regarding artist and CD.

Thanks,

Teribus.