Dick Gaughan - The Father's Song

[rogiermusic]

I find this very beautiful

[rylaneirl]

says everything !!!!!!

[yetiflicker]

a powerfull mantra to teach new genrations that our goverments will trick us into sending our beautiful children to die in far off lands to boost the profits of the powerfull and corrupt.

[KITCHENOFDISTINCTION]

What a song. Thanks for posting I've just discovered this brilliant artist.

[nathanman61]

The gift of fatherhood is a divine visitation.

[noneyageorge85]

my kids are gone, my two sons. gone forever, taken by corrupt state government. all i want is for to have my kids back and to live in peace, with no problems. i really wish those fucking greedy cocksuckers didn't sell my kids for a pay raise. but they did. and it kills me inside that i will never see them again. and its my fault for living in a state and a country that allows this. taking my kids away is not justice, and God DAMN every person involved in it. 

[MegaBadboy64]

@noneyageorge85 I'm so sorry for you i wished that you could see your kids again and i wonder y the govenment would do such a thing and how would he like it if someone came and took his kids and sod them i bet he wouldnt like it but I'm so sorry for you i wished you could see them again.

[degenha]

Great song. Great performance.

Full of love and pride.

Very powerfull!

[MrNihilio]

lol all these comments about politics ,im right blablabla listen to the lyrics! goverments will kill and enslave us for their own evil cause(money and power)think for yourself! and do not let yourself be manipulated by youre goverment and media!

stand togheter as citizens of earth!

goverments always are looking for a "enemy"so we the people get all fired up ready to send our sons and daughters of to a "just" war while they raise taxes and take away our "rights"bit by bit .

[UweFromLowerSaxony]

@MrNihilio

You are abolutely right...

Nothing to say more but thx

With kind regard

Uwe

[seanlgallacher]

Chords anyone?

[seanlgallacher]

Chords anyone?

[dvdperes]

Lindo!

[werewyrm1]

@ballynafeighbluedog Are you stupid? So watch "so you think that the Russians want war" Billy Bragg and Dick. Nazis ARE fascists. Also, communist Russia was on the same side as the US and the UK. In fact, the Russians lost MORE then both our countries combined. Yeah, those evil communists.

[ballynafeighbluedog]

@werewyrm1 I said that the people of GB fought along side the Russian people.They were our allies.Were did i say anything different????

[cluelessingaza]

Saw Dick tonight in Glossop and chatted with him outside the gig. A lovely guy and a brilliant musician. Always inspires me.

[ballynafeighbluedog]

Why was a picture of a couple of right wing facist idiots shown along with a nazi rally.?Communist Russia invaded Poland along with Nazi Germany.It was the British people from all walks of life who fought and died against the nazis.This film is shite shite shite.

[nacho1560]

@ballynafeighbluedog I don't think this was deliberately intended, mate. Rest assured Dick Gaughain is the opposite of any nazi styled ideology.

[nacho1560]

@ballynafeighbluedog Watched it again. Think the message is we never go down their road. The words in this song are more important than the pics.

[sangstom5]

I LOVE THIS TRULY I DO...

[eleanorluery]

painfully beautiful

[MandoMohan]

This Dick Gaughan plays the festivals,too. A different man, altogether. Highly regarded among folk guitarists.

watch?v=sGWr2i1f5s0&feature=fv­w

[Vanze42]

My teacher used to tell me what Dick sings to me:

Crunch your teeth and tighten your fist, son. This world will throw crap at you. It only depends on how much you can take it and move on.

[supermyrab]

love it but god how long do we have to sing songs about our anger of the way our yound are treated

[showaddy11]

they bastard polutishun send other fathers sons tae war while they hide like moles. most of them you could make them deficate with ashout and a glare

[showaddy11]

can polutishuns no hear that song. why?

[joeygsmom]

thank you Ewan for writing this brilliant song and Dick for bringing it to life so well

[ghgsh3]

i thought this song would be sentimental, but i should have known better.

[grummeper]

Thanks!

[dondev54]

Why can't I find "Willie o' Winsbury" on YouTube? One of my OMG life changing tunes.!!!

[noneyageorge85]

i miss my sons

[Larkin1907]

@noneyageorge85

They'll never be far away Friend.

[noneyageorge85]

i hope not, because the way it looks, i'll never see them again, and it fuckin kills me

[AndrewDaTall]

If anyone knows where to find the chords/ tabs for this please tell me.

[trebell71]

I saw Wizz Jones play this last year, If i getto see him this summer i could ask him if he knows where he got the music (or whether he figured it out by ear).

[scotrelf]

Not sure the chords are around except probably here: Ewan MacColl Songbook

60 years of Songmaking

Oak Publications

US ISBN 0.8256.0321.8

UK ISBN 0.7119.6292.8

The song was originally by Ewan MacColl

[cobalt404]

Beautiful song. Shame about some of the inappropriate images.

[Mariekesone]

Children for Peace....

A Great song and the images speak for itself...If you listen to the Lyrics well, they all match perfectly well...Good video!

[gothcellochick]

Which images did you find inappropriate? I agree that some of them were a bit political, but I think they all fit the meaning of the song pretty well.

[mintomagicVS]

I thought every image was perfectly appropriate and timed so well to the words

[thompsfloyd]

When I first heard Dick Gaughan, I thought I was listening to an Archie Fisher song.

I am so glad that I have discovered his music.

[Swansway1]

Beautiful!!

[wuzup36i3]

Dear Caveson.

Your Dad Knows you loved him.

YOur  his son, right?

Love spoken, is just as strong as love Unspoken.

YOu have the answer in your Soul! man.

Lov,

tEri

[Susq15]

Aw, the poor communists!

[cavenson]

To my dad if i could see you once again i would have only five words i think thats all i would need i'm sorry and i love you I lost my dad at 13 Years of age I love you dad so if theirs anyone here who treats their dads badly shape up please :D i got into and argue ment with my dad and the next day no lie went to Iraq.. never came back i never got to say i love him nore that i was sorry

[Jazz161088]

@cavenson Believe me, your father knows that a lot of stuff you said and did, you only did because you are a child and your still learning. He probably did similar things as you when he was a kid. Respect your dad by living your life as he meant it for you to be lived. The biggest gift you could give him is to feel good about yourself, be succesfull in life and dont let the past get in the way from your good future, learn from it!

[cavenson]

This song makes me think, about how badly i treated my father and how he was just trying to make me a better person on the inside to the out I wish i could have thoes times back when me and him Could just go fishing or mabey just talking and at that point here i am typing this and all thoes times i said i hate you dad i didnt mean them i was foolish i was a pitaful kid to him i wish i would have had respected him while i still could have

[abuniaz]

Don't worry about anything you said to your dad. As a father myself, I know that my son might say stuff out of anger or frustration but, in my heart, I know that he loves me. Your father is now in a position to watch over you at all times, night and day. If he could I'm sure he would let you know that.

[davethemong]

i wish i had that time back to mate..

im in a time warp ..cant remember the tim ei told mt dad i l;oved him.

was at his bed side when life left him...it left me aswell.

8 years aga i died and now live the living dead life.

[MehefinHeulog]

echoes of Richard Thompson's "TheEnd of the Rainbow"?

great song, wonderfully played, wonderfully sung

[pfjpeter]

I think Ewan McColl wrote this whilst Richard Thompson was starting school, but I see where you are coming from. Both are powerful and relevant songs..sung and performed by 2 brilliant artists.

[noneyageorge85]

the pic at 1:50 is cute lol my son sleeps like that still sometimes and he's 5. this is an awesome song btw, one of my favorites.

[downtime02]

I sing this to my son every night and it brings the peace to him that he needs to sleep...

Beautiful

[MrEcliptomoon]

@downtime02 ! my dad used to sing this to me as a child' I'm sure he will remember and be comforted by these wordsand your voice! Godbless

[djKanjuKhan]

@downtime02 same I do still, and he´s eight....it still works and still I love to sing this great song......one of my favorits, and this since nearly 20 years!!!

[kboris65]

Thanks to everyone for responding to my question.

[Winterlightshadow]

We are all travellers of the world...some of us are Celts...some are English...others are foreign - yet we all fight for the same things....freedom, respect, love and opportunity!

Let's live together and live as one!!!

[Bondomusic]

very well put

[gotsymustopha]

@Winterlightshadow I assume you've checked out 'Both sides of the tweed' with Emmy Lou Harris... if not, do so!

Peace brother

[malachy1847]

@Winterlightshadow Theres only One Race ....Thats The Human Race......

[weehelicopter]

This song says it all for me.

[kboris65]

Its just a wee hiccup I noticed years back I dont know either but it makes me wonder

[nd017]

What a powerfull song. and good images. I dont know if I can bring myself to sing that to my child, it seems like too bleek a world I am offering them. But painfully it is the truth. The half of the truth that isnt the green trees, blue sky and dark earth. What an amasing song.

[trebell71]

So true.

It is a song i'd rather my son hears when he's old enough to understand it.

Ewan Maccols children had a very insighftul father. It is a powerful song.

[alba4232]

I agree but it is up to us to change it !

[kboris65]

Powerful this.

[alba4232]

What has all this race stuff got to do with this song?Figures wether genetic or otherwise are open to manipulation!Ever thought about that?This song is about a

Father making his son aware of the world as best he can no more no less!

[crimlinwest]

The song is about warning his son agains the evils of a capitalist society. Dick Gaughan is a proud socialist.

[poneil69]

The true Scots are many,all welcome in my country.

[jerrygreg2]

Alternativejohnny - the Scots may have come from Ireland but the people of Scotland are many things - Picts,Britons,Angles,Norsemen.­..and latterly peoples from the Commonwealth and beyond. Please don't tell a Scotsman that he's Irish.Much as I respect them,I'm not one,Dick isn't one,the Irish aren't Scots,the Americans aren't British.Stop talking codswallop.

[nacho1560]

The Picts were the true Scots, though the name Scotland came from an Irish Celtic tribe.

There's no real evidence of any ethnic cleansing so the disappearance of the Picts IMO is that we made peace and interbred.

So jerry and johnny, come on, we're all a mixed Celtic/Picto/Norse mixture, but still more pure than the English who were ruled, interbred with and controlled by so many nations it's a joke.

[plevyman]

Actually, recent evidence shows that the vast majority of the genetic stock of the islands of Britain and Ireland originates in the Iberian peninsula (pre-dating the Celts). If you want to talk your genetic origins bollocks, then we are all essentially Basques, the *real* original inhabitants of these islands.

Harking back to long forgotten tribal origins, as if they have any relevance in the modern world, is the discourse of the people pictured between 0:55 and 1:05 in this video.

[nacho1560]

No evidence of any real Basque influence in Scotland. Maybe further south, I dunno.

The Picts and Celts played the biggest part in forming Scotland and the name and language came from the latter.

[plevyman]

You don't seem to have understood what I'm saying. The Celts first arrived about 2,500 years ago. There are many stone monuments & buildings such as Skara Brae, Stonehenge and Newgrange that were built long before that. There were people in Britain before the Celts arrived, and it is now known from genetic evidence that those people originated from what is now the Basque country, and probably spoke a language relative of Basque. We mostly descend from them, not the Celts.

[nacho1560]

I reckon no one can actually prove the Basque language and origins but it's one of many theories.

Where do the Picts fit in? They were here before the Celts.

When the Celts finally arrived, surely they had a big say in forming modern Scotland. Did they not breed with your Basques, assuming they existed.

We're a mix of Viking, Celt, Pict, Briton, ok I'll give you Basque and others.

I feel Celtic most of all, though.

Wonder who was here before the Basques, then.

[plevyman]

The Picts were a union of tribes in northern Scotland around 1,000 to 2,000 years ago. It's not known what languages they spoke, maybe both Celtic languages and pre-Celtic ones (ie. related to Basque). The important point is that whatever language they spoke, they, like the people further south, were in large part descended from the pre-Celtic original inhabitants. The Celts mostly came over as a small elite, there weren't enough of them to change the general make-up of the population.

[plevyman]

Two more things: the people who came to Britain in the Neolithic weren't Basques, they spoke a language which was perhaps related to modern-day Basque, but no-one really knows. They came from the Iberian peninsula and were the first people to come to Britain and Ireland after the last Ice Age thawed and made the islands habitable. You feeling Celtic is fine, it is a cultural thing but has nothing to do with genetic origins or "true-born" people of the islands.

[nacho1560]

You should write a book, plevyman. Just out of curiosity how do you think they got here? Boat? I was wondering if GB might have been closer to Europe or that they could even walk over the ice at that time.

[plevyman]

There are books on it... I don't have much knowledge of the subject, it's just things I've read recently, on the bbc and elsewhere. I think it's a fascinating subject, yet another application of DNA evidence which shows that our origins are more complex and intriguing than we had previously thought.

The sea level was probably much lower at the time Britain and Ireland were first settled all those years ago.

[trebell71]

Makes a lot of sense. I'm Cornish and we're well known for being a dark and swarthy people. This is thought to be because we were quite isolated until very recently and thus retained the colouring of those neolithic people.

Celtic is a Victorian myth but it is a way we now tend to refer to ourselves and all the original British people's.

[nacho1560]

That's your choice, trebell, my friend. Cornwall may not have the thrust for such patriotism, you're English and proud of it.

Up here, feeling Celtic is a spiritual experience as much as genealogical.

We're Celts, no doubts about it, and the Celts arrived here long before the Victorian age. That's a silly comment.

[trebell71]

Funnily enough, I'm one of the many Cornish who's very proud to be Cornish and who isn't English at all.

I didn't mean there's no such thing as the Celts, only tha tmost of us (including the Cornish) who think of ourselves as Celtic when we're really part of people that got here earlier. I'm very patriotic to Cornwall and a member of MK the Cornish group.

I've nothing against the term celtic and I'm happy for my Cornish and other Celtic brethren to use it to identify themselves.

[Daddymccourt]

Look up Scotii in Brittanica. The Scotii (Scots) were in this island long before us. They even gave there name to the country, yes, Ireland was previously known as Scotland. Not that it matters now.

[plevyman]

The Scots were Celts. The original inhabitants of Britain and Ireland were there long before the Celts had reached the Atlantic ocean. The Scots weren't in this island long before "us", because most British and Irish people are descendants of the pre-Celtic inhabitants of Britain and Ireland, going back about 15,000 years.

[Daddymccourt]

"The term "Celt" or "Celt" is entirely unknown as the designation of any race or racial element of language in the British Isles, until arbitrarily introduced there a few generations ago Nor does the name even exist in the so-called "Celtic" languages, the Gaelic, Welsh and Irish. L.A. Waddell, "Phoenician origin of Britons, Scots and Anglo-Saxons", p 127f.

[plevyman]

As far as I understand it, the Celtic languages (including Welsh, Scots & Irish Gaelic, Breton and Cornish) are an identified subgroup of the Indo-European family of languages, like, say, the branch of primates on the evolutionary tree of mammals.

The book you quoted was published in 1924, and I'm not sure how great an authority Waddell was on British and Irish (pre-)history even then.

[kboris65]

I wonder why Scotland in Erse is Alba which was the Pictish name of the country. The Scottish kingdom was Dalriada why do we call it Scotland in English?Any ideas nacho?

[nacho1560]

The word Scotland was taken from the Irish Gaelic tribe, the "scoti". I really don't know why that name stuck rather than Alba or Dalriada you mention.

Suppose it seems a bit daft to take the name from the newcomers and ignore those who had lived here long before.

[thistlewarrior]

We can't prove what language the Picts spoke so we don't really know what name they gave the country. However the Gael Scots did call their part of Scotland (west coast), Dal Riada, and at the time of unification a Scot (Giric 878 AD) usurped the Pictish crown. One Kingdom was created and it was known as Alba. When the rightful Pictish King was restored (Princes Donald & Constantine 889 AD) from exile the name and other changes stuck.

See BBC Scotlands History Kingdom of the Picts for more.

[crimlinwest]

Scotland in historical terms probably translated in the minds of the people of Britain as 'Land of the Irish'. It was a term used by the British.

[RugbyHockeySoccer]

Meant to give thumbs up, didnt know that

[edeneyeblack]

i hate when people ask this but i cant stand it. What are the chords?? and most of all, what is he tuned to? i also cant find the MacColl version of the song. This song is brilliant!

[donnydumpling]

@edeneyeblack its in d minor open tuning-fairly simple-you can get original ewan maccoll on itunes now

[alternativejohnny]

Gaughan is one of the most talented Irish (the scots come from Ireland, well the real ones) singers of all time. That's why he never made a few quid, he simply never sold out

[piratebrido]

I think Gaughan would disagree with you there.

[sqvarek]

when you do, post some tabs for it, pliz :]

[bemisuk]

whoah this song is incredible - Dick Gaughan does a stunning performance of it too.

Choice of pictures is great too - really brilliant addition to youtube.

Thanks for posting this!

I will cover this for sure, powerful stuff.

: )

[sqvarek]

same time ago i came over maccoll's biography. i think that he probably meant this song to be political, but than again the beauty of such poetry is that one can understand it as he wishes to :D

[Andy12A45]

Yes, listen to the words, it's political. MacColl recorded several albums of searing political commentary . nacho is correct, Gaughan is also political.

No argument wanted..just fact.

Lurak's , Cheers to your father & Grandfather.

[lurak9]

It is very possible, you make what you want of a song.

[nacho1560]

I doubt you've really listened to the words of this song, lurak.

[lurak9]

Look mate, this is ewan maccolls song, not dick gaughans so whatever way he sings it is just his take on it. You say its political, well maybe in their minds it is but once again you make what you want of a song. Im getting dragged into an argument i dont want here, but my father sings this song as a dedication to his father and the lessons he taught him about life.

[nacho1560]

OK, mate, I'll make no other comment.

But listen to the words. Kids brought up to fight in wars. That's political. But I respect your opinions, mate, read into the words what you want. Ewan McColl was equally political.

[MissMayhemZH]

beautiful

[nacho1560]

What a beautiful song, so profound and true.

History will show Bush and Blair for the traitors they were.

[x10shalist]

bush and blair have their purpose.. the world had to be pushed that far in that direction for us to realize the danger of greedy thinking... it is unfortunate, but we humans don't seem to learn any other way...

[nacho1560]

Do humans ever learn? If we did we'd learn invading other lands is not the way forward.

[lurak9]

Ah here, just appreciate a bloody great song without making it a fucking political discussion for once please

[nacho1560]

You obviously haven't listened to Dick Gaughan much, Lurak. Politics and Dick are inseperable.

[lurak9]

Thats not what i meant. Im just sick of every video on youtube turning into deep discussions with people trying to show how clever they are, how informed their opinions are. Thats all.

[nacho1560]

Again I say, Dick sings his songs for a reason. It's impossible to listen to them without being political.

The text comments on YouTube exists so that folks can make comments. That's why it's there. No one is forced to read them.

[nacho1560]

And some might argue your post is because you're trying to be clever and show how informed your opinions are.

[nickb676]

i went to see this great artist at the trades in hepdene bridge truly amazing....

[WonderWomanUS]

It's nice to know in some parts of the world that the purity of a man's heart persists.

[gultzauudden]

Great poetry, this song makes me cry....

[schandmaul86]

sounds like sean keane...

[marystrand]

vey good song, whitout me knowing all the details. keep up the good work.

[stanleymaiden]

if this song gives you the shivers, then perhaps if you have not already you should do something about it.

Get involved politically, campaign, adgitate, resist, fight back and encourage others to do the same.

to those who say well theres no use they are too strong, ask yourself this question.

what would happen if we all said no at the one time?

what could they do then?

[yetiflicker]

we need a fucking revolution in this country,

the war in iraq was the final straw for me.

[aaaaarse]

you might be right. But what country is "this country"? I suspect it's not mine. There is more than one country! Take it easy, you're right to feel angry; but step back and do something useful. Learn about stuff. Get involved: not just angry.

[degenha]

Hear hear from Amsterdam!

[Kedfagan]

@stanleymaiden

well said my man. Evil prevails when good men do nothing

[cmackenzie4]

what a song this is,so much meaning and so true

[DamianNixon]

Thanks for postin this Elfman. Subbed. Damian.

[SkyBluPinked]

That brought tears to my eyes.

[Germungus]

Awesome song sung brilliantly by Dick Gaughan. Great vid.

[Musicbyveronica]

This song makes me teary eyed

[jimmyjumbo2006]

Powerful, deep, unforgettable... pure poetry and Gaughan is a sincere, soulful singer.

Thanks so much for posting

[mfwettlaufer]

I heard this song, which is originally by Ewan MacColl many years ago, yet it continues to become more and more pertinent. This is an amazing video, it brought me to tears. Thank you.

[Voldemort57]

WOW!!! I've just heard this guy for the first time tonight, and what a voice, and that video was first class. It said everything that I believe in

[Abbaodin]

A beautiful voice that paints and sculpts the very words that echoe from the soulful, truthful, bitterness of the world!! Dick Gaughan transcends music and takes it to a higher level!!

[PatongTed]

Wonderful Video! So meaningful! 5 Stars!! Thanks to minstral2 for sending me this video. Peace-Ted

[oldiesedit]

Speaks volumes! Excellent!

[minstral2]

I am speechless, your video connects us all...that was very well done! Please join our group and add this video to our pool...

[poneil69]

Resist Revolt Rebel.

[VoiceofBaghdad]

You got it, mate! The best advice for our kids. Beautiful song...

[babaluma1]

Dick is a real person alongside Billy Bragg and Martin Simpson great UK folk singers

im looking forward to seeing dick this thursday in brisbane

[soccerab1939]

The mans a genius....

[McAroe]

I want this gr8 song but i cant find it on limewire, where cud i get it?

[Pwecko]

It's available on 'A Different Kind Of Love Song', where it was originally released, and on the Best of compilation 'Prentice Piece: a Compilation from the First Three Decades', both available from Amazon. I've got ADKOLS, which is excellent. I strongly recommend 'Handful of Earth', what I consider to be his best album.

[goldtrichtig]

don't know

[myreside]

son if yer gonnae fight for somethin make sure its worth it

[dfairbairn65]

there is no word to describe this man,the heart bursts with pride,

[wickedwolf123]

Dick Gaughan is a voice for the people. I love his music. Thank you.

[patacorn]

Thank you so much Elfman101. Thanks too to Ewan MacColl and Dick Gaughan. Equals The Universal Soldier and probably with these photographs and Dick's voice surpasses it.

[bigfra67]

Absolute class, what a song.God bless Dick Gaughan the singer for the people.

[weephil]

excellent. 5 stars

[LillithePink]

This is such a very moving song. The lyrics are so poignant and demonstrate a deep understanding of the human condition. Dick Gaughan sings it with the same conviction. I love it, thank you for posting it.

[jaybirdeyes]

we need love and more understanding, the baby is so cute

[jaybirdeyes]

So cute smile

[cookie45133]

very moving

[fionalogan]

Fantastic song, great video. We need more dick gaughan, can any one oblige?

[TheBigMusic]

Brilliant!

[angelovluv]

this song is amazin! ifonly the rest of the world could understand it!

[SluttySanta]

"There's no ogres or witches, only greedy sons of bitches." I am going to learn to play the guitar just so I can sing songs like this to my nephew once he's born in April. Hope he grows up to be an activist.

[AIEELENMOCHREE]

The mans a genius

[crowhawk]

Well put together. I saw Dick Gaughan play last Friday night. Thanx for puting this on..

[jolicrasseux]

Thanks to the Elfman for this and other things!

[Elfman101]

Hello Joli. Good to hear from you again.

[moominpic]

Superb, more please!

[Elfman101]

Thanks for your warm comments guys. It is much appreciated.

[fortlee3]

Bravo, Mr. Elfman. All this site lacked was an appearance from Scotland's greatest balladeer, and you got the most out of him. Superbly done. Congrats.

[xjimix]

more gaughan!!! seems this is the only gaughan video, what a crime...

[Berniarmstrong]

A moving response to a wonderfully moving song. Thank you very much from me and the Dick Gaughan Forum

[Ilska]

Awesome! A very sensitive way to illustrate this wonderful song and its sentiments. Thank you, Elfman101!

[Elfman101]

Thanks llska. I just had to get Dick Gaughan on You Tube. It was a crime he wasn't here.