Massed Bands Black Bear, March Out

[ramzzzzz10]

edinburgh tattoo is the absolute shiz! its amazing.

[charlottelovessluke]

omg love it!!

[corkie1005]

The Black Bear is the return to base tune for all Scottish troops and not the tune that would be played for a boxer going into the ring?

[debam66]

I would fight anyone if there was a Pipe Band playing the Black Bear behind me lol. Maybe that was the way it was intended to motivate us Scots ;)

[medics01]

I'm an ex member of 1st Bn The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) and was aq Battalion boxer. Black Bear was my tune when I walked into the ring!!

[JasperLee23]

Whenever I hear this music I think of my grandfather, who said the music reminds him of when he first arrived in Burma in May 1942.

[bandboy10]

@JasperLee23 Burma??? I know that the britts controlled it but why the Black Bear?

[JasperLee23]

@bandboy10 Firstly we are all white South African's and my gandfather transfered to the 17th Indian infantry division (and later in 1943 to the 11th East African Infantry division). By that time they were fighting in Burma and when he arrived there in May 42' the Brits had taken a beating, but what really impressed my grandfather was the British spirit. From the limited stuff he told me, when he disembarked a British battalion, with its bagpipes was marching to this tune. He enjoyed the moment.

[awmascrotum]

the black bear is the most stirring and emotive tune I have ever heard

[RylandLTSS]

wow.. those puddle pirates(sea cadets) need to learn to march.. most of them are not even bringing arms high enough nor are they instep.. i know performances are nerve rackin.. god knows ive been there myself but dont embarass yourselfs by not marching properly

[kawasakipolaris]

Theyre cadets...ALL they do is drill and they suck ass at it.

[IainB1511]

Since the Black Bear is a return to barracks it is traditionally used to end a military tattoo ending the night. Nothing like seeing the massed pipe bands ending the Edinburgh Tattoo returning into the castle then the lights going down and a lone piper playing a piebroch on the ramparts lit by a single flood light with it diming to black as the tune finishes.

[rmh05]

I was working at the tattoo and sure as hell they were shouting the "OY!!". Most of the nights atleast

[teknoboy421]

you could play this song for days and it would never get old....although you really need the drummers screaming "OY!!!" To get the full effect..

[nlights31]

It is a cool tune! The drummers did the "OY!!" during practice, but I guess didn't yell it out during the performance. Nerves maybe? All in all, a blast of a show!

[gnomely1]

@teknoboy421 You're right. It's the finest, most stirring tune to march to.

[Thywolfthespian]

@teknoboy421

"OY!"

yes it adds into the song awsomely

[pipingman]

the band sounds great but playing the first part of the black bear over and over is kinda repetitive

[nlights31]

I agree it's repetitive. We had only 2 pipe bands playing, one more experienced than the other, so some of the pipers only knew the first part to the tune. That's what was decided for us to play. I'm sure by next year, we'll have the whole tune down pat!