A Man's A Man for 'a That: : Rabbie Burns' Greatest Hit - The Scottish Parliament, 1st July, 1999

[grahamlive]

I don't wish to be negative about this brilliant rendition, but my favourite verse was omitted, ...Ye see yon birkie, ca'd a lord,

Wha struts, an' stares, an' a' that;

Tho' hundreds worship at his word,

He's but a coof for a' that:

For a' that, an' a' that,

His ribband, star, an' a' that:

The man o' independent mind

He looks an' laughs at a' that.

Anyway. Roll on independence. Saor Alba!

[ingi1996]

This was just AWESOME! I've always been incredibly proud that I lived in Scotland, and I understand now that I had good reason to be proud of it. Repects from Norway :-) ALBA GU BRÀTH!

[MontagueBurton]

Hey Al, any chance of freeing up the embed on this? cheers M

[AyeWeCan]

@MontagueBurton Done. Never knew i had set a restriction

[MontagueBurton]

@AyeWeCan Cheesey cheers Al.

[whitecraw123]

Ohhh, i'm on a rant now! How DARE they sing about poverty! When that fat BASTARD moves out of Bute House and into a council flat, when he tries to bring up a family of 4 on £170 a week, when HE has to choose between food or heating, then he can stand and sing about pride in being poor!

[omgpaulthompson]

@whitecraw123 I feel awkward breaking this to you - Burns was a nationalist. He despised the Union. When we get Independence, then we have done his work justice.

And of course - the SNP have done so much for those in need of help. (frozen council tax) ? But maybe you will be better voting conservative and that will be worse.

[whitecraw123]

@omgpaulthompson Frozen council tax for millionaires? Free NHS prescriptions for millionaires? I'm sure the poor are so glad we have an SNP government. Burns was a Socialist, pure and simple, and a patriot to boot. He was not a jumped-up councilor, sponging off the taxpayer, unlike our Holyrood leaders!

[Zidean007]

@whitecraw123

Patriotic but nationalistic? bit of a contradiction. to be patriotic you have to be nationalistic. Can't recal burns saying to scrap capitalism, he just said society should be fairer.

seem to me , albeit now, you a just a typical internet troll, just wanting attention and to cause arguements,I thought you genuinely were mis-informed, im sorry i gave you some attention, i am now done with this. I see now that you couldn't ever stop replying just for the sake of it.

[whitecraw123]

@Zidean007 Errr...no. Patriotism brings people together, with a common love for their country/nation/town or city. Nationalism sets people apart based on their race/creed/colour or religion. Please read again my original comment and you will see that my rage is directed against a NATIONALIST party which has hijacked a SOCIALIST anthem and claimed it as own.

[Zidean007]

@whitecraw123

Try reading books, try to understand how policy affects people and compare Salmonds SNP with new labour and the tories and you will find the SNP are CenterLeft and have helped some of the poorest in society. Last i checked a millionaire PM is blaming the poor for a deficit but allowing companies and other millionaires to dodge paying tax. 12Billion hole and virgin media and a few others owe about 10billion in tax!!! Why punish the poor. SNP doesn't punish the poor. Get facts!!

[whitecraw123]

And if only the arsehole politicians believed in this song.....The Honest Man? There isn't an honest man in the Ridiculous Parliament!...Every one of them are like Robert Burns's characters, Lords dressed in silk, Dukes and Princes....and none worse than the King of Scotland, Alex Salmond. You people are not fit to sing the songs of Burns. He would turn in his grave if he knew he was being dragged into the nonsense of nationalism, or quoted by the bumptious Salmond.

[Zidean007]

@whitecraw123

"A Scottish Bard and Proud of the Name"...rather nationalistic. His thoughts on society are easily egalitarian - Scotland has a rich history of eglitarianism. NOT ELITISM.

Alex Salmonds SNP has been largely egalitarian in nature and has abolished prescription charges, kept uni fees down, put more police officers on the street, frozen council tax, cut small business tax. Center-Left not socialist, but still MUCH FAIRER than Tory-Lab gvt who allow the rich to dodge tax.

[glasgow1234]

Thumbs up if you are going to vote YES for SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE !

[smilekatysmile]

An amazing day for scotland that was. ALBA GU BRA!

[writtenwordseurope]

Now, in the run-up to our elections, let's bear in mind that only the SNP is carrying forward that torch of libertarianism that Burns expresses so beautifully with Sheena's magical singing. Now is the moment that every Scottish voter needs to ask themselves: 'Do I want to prop up a Westminster government or am I going to vote for Scotland?' They say that old voting habits die hard. Well, let's show ourselves ready for change.

[oJKBo]

lol @ scotland the brave in the background

[wolfmk9]

The thing which is more the marring is the fact that any Scottish person (especially one who "was there") does not comprehend what "A Man's A Man for All That" means - There are those of us (like the half-breed that I am) who wish that our parliaments opened in the same way, and meant it too.

[PaulyForde]

meas as Eire

[528hertz]

Google: Robbie Burns And The Ideas Of The American Revolution

[mullac1980]

that was a fantastic day it will be nothing compared to the party tho when real freedom comes ALBA GU BRATH!

[Wanch1e1ady]

I always cry to this.Nae embarrassed either. am trying to get to her level. This is soo good. x

[armaghlore]

magic

[billyconnearly]

Who was that in the Silver Cross Pram at 1:05? LOL They may have thought they were giving something back to Scotland but - make no mistake - Scotland's Independence may have been given away on paper in 1707, but as the auld saying goes "paper takes on shite!" Scotland should wake up in 2011 and realise that the Country is respected across the whole world!

[medchir]

2.40 get on your dam feet! we elected you to represent our country. get on your feet to sing our, yes "OUR" parliment in!

[alexdeas]

It is a shame this noble and beautiful song is used by anti-royalists commenting here. Perhaps they forget that James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne. When the Queen Mother celebrated her 100th year, she invited Sheena Wellington to sing this at Glamis Castle as her favorite poem. This says a lot for the humble attitude of our royalty, who by and large, dedicate their lives to charity and public service, and who look for the decency in people in the spirit Burns intended.

[Easts100]

Brings a tear to the eye. A beautiful version.

[ymgrant1]

Such true words, if they could become true - what a wonderful world we would have - that everyone no matter creed, colour or race we will all be equal - have a good weekend. Yvonne xx We should all be Brothers !

[Antzcceltic1]

i hate how the queen has no power but is still in charge i mean AHHH just get rid of the "royal" family, they have everything andtake what they want, WHY ???? what do they do ? what have they done to deserve any of it ?

[scotlandsarmy]

@Antzcceltic1 You have no idea how much money is brought into the United Kingdom from tourism just because of the Royal Family.

[Antzcceltic1]

@scotlandsarmy

and how much money do you think goes to them?

[scotlandsarmy]

@Antzcceltic1 Enough to pay for their lavish lifestyle while maintaining enough to generate money for the British economy. They help bring in the flocks, not all the money goes directly to the palace.

[habanaman]

You can still hear the pride for our once proud nation resonant in Burns' songs. Lang may they live on.

[votail1]

I hope you all vote yes next year. Im Irish and independance is a big jump but your children will thank you for it :)

[kiddznitch]

I was there. Although i would have been about 11 or 12. I didn't appreciate what was happening then but i sure as shit do now.

[moonmatter]

I thought the scottish pariliament would be a mature forward thinking entity. It's worse than the english one. Children banging their desks in disagreement. How embarrassing

[royceroscoe]

I was so fortunate to see and hear Sheena Wellington sing the same song at the opening ceremonies of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival when Scotland was one of the feature countries there (Washington DC National Moll). Believe me when I say I know that that was a once in a lifetime experience and a grand Scottish experience it was! And just for the record Scotland was excellent at the folklife festival! It was so much fun and so much more!!

[Wanch1e1ady]

The stirring song could not get these fatcat off their fat arse selves on this most important of days. What a pathetic shower they were, lack lustre, no joy for the Scotish people without whose yes/yes would have seen them no more than provincial councillers in their patches. This joyous song sung with great reasonance and feeling that is still tangible, will be what I hold onto in the great schemes of the next election. Who will get my precious X. Fa's like us? Nane cos they are a stil2come

[Wanch1e1ady]

When this was broadcast it made the hairs on back of my hair stand up. For this lady to sing this song without accompianment was an achievment, nearly as much as our Government reconvening after so many years. Fa's like us? Neen. cause they,re a deed.

[MoonlitDoor]

What key is this in?

[MoonlitDoor]

Oh, I think it's in Eb Major. Is this right?

[juv7]

i was there that day at the opening for our scottish parliment it was marred by the presence oo the english monarchy ALBA GU BRA

[Zidean007]

@juv7

Hardly english when the last guys on the throne were dutch preceded by Scots and now we have germans.



[RadicalWhig]

It's coming yet....

[noorismail1]

God Bless you each one,God bless the Brother hood,(Fellowcraft here),and God bless sweet Bobbie Burns!!

My eyes are too wet...

[KiltDude32]

Love this song. My five-year old son said to me, out of the blue, this morning, "Dad, a man is a man." I beamed and hugged him. Things are going to be just fine, I say.

[DonKhoi]

I had to admit I had read through the American Constitution, but I know of all those many Amendments, Bills of Rights appealed and then repealed. To err is human, to forgive divine (absolutely not the Biblical God, but any according to my belief, even paganish, mind you).

About your leaders, I dare not speak any word. A Scottish knows his own land best.

Are you a Mason? Me no Mason, yet I do like your task for a New World Order of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.

[john0961]

With regards to you`re statement ,about you not being a Free Mason, my answer is. To be one , ask one !

[john0961]

The line "the rank is but the guinea`s stamp" is so appropriate for the members of this Parliament. However I prefer one from another Burns song "such a parcel of rogues in a nation"! Yes the man new what he was talking about.

[DonKhoi]

That tells us to stand high and not to bow low to tyrants only, mind you. You must obey the law as long as it serves folks well. We dare be poor with our Pith of Sense and Pride of Worth, yet we will not remain in Poverty. Through work and sweat surely will we arn our silk and wine knaves rob us of.

[john0961]

To DonKhoi. I offer you Fraternal greetings, but I don`t understand your interpretation of this song ? I would like to point out that I am Scottish !! This is my first language, I don`t need to look up the meanings of the Scottish words in Burns poems so that I can understand them. I have been doing readings and speaking at Burns suppers since I was 18.

[DonKhoi]

I interpret this poem from an egalitarianist's eye, John. Well, I just can't stand those, hoarding a little money in hand, looking down on their own brethren. About the Poverty, it's just to prevent the interpretation that we should remain in Poverty so as to be seen Honest.

[john0961]

I think that you are reading too much into my first posting. My point is that our representatives in the Scottish Parliament are only there for financial gain, and not as I believe to represent their voters. If they had to do the job for free, they wouldn`t be doing it !! I HAVE in fact read the American Constitution and done a degree on it and I believe it to be deeply flawed and open to abuse by your law makers ?

[DonKhoi]

Furthermore, about the law, read the Declaration of Rights of Humans and Citizens during the French Revolution of 1789, article 4 and any other concerning laws and citizen's freedom, rights, and duties. You may also read the American Constitution or the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

[Cornbreadressing]

I raise my glass to the Bard

[marygalbraith]

Is that you on guitar, Alan?

[AyeWeCan]

Aye. Ther is a story here - the fillm was made by me for the Scottish Parliament for Tartan Day 2001. This was a longer film called caledonian Trilogy and this version of "A Man's a Man" was within it. But the rest of that film had guitar though it. Without it Sheena's real life unaccopanied redition of 1 July 1999 sounded odd i- hence i added the guitar for all but the unique final verse . It was impossible to remove short of remaking the whole movie. Hope you liked my

ahistorical picking

[marygalbraith]

Yes - nice wee story to explain it - thanks. Your picking is always good quality too - in my view ... maybe a career there ;-)

[taragolden]

nice

[AYEscotland]

Happy Birthday Rabbie!

Sae come aa ye at hame wi freedom

Never heed whit the houdies croak for Doom

In yer hous aa the bairns o Aidam

Will fin breid, barley-bree an paintit room

Whan MacLean meets wi's friens in Springburn

Aa thae roses an geeans will turn tae blume

An a black laud frae yont Nyanga

Dings the fell gallows o the burghers doun.

Freedom come aa ye!

[wyjpc5]

Onwards to Independence!

[bcnsco]

2:38 woman in lillac was bcnsco's standard grade english teacher heh.

that aside - a truly historic day and scotland has come so far since then.