John McDermott (Canadian) - The Skye Boat Song

Your ratings and comments are welcome!
Video from John McDermott's live DVD "A Time to Remember" (2002). This ballad is a folk song about the Battle of Culloden in 1746, which ended the Jacobite Uprising and in effect, ended the Scottish clan system and outlawed the wearing o' the kilt. Do a Google or Wiki search for "Culloden". The Jacobites were trying to restore the Stewart family ("Bonnie Prince Charlie") to the English throne, but were severely beaten by the English and their muskets and cannon. The studio (not live) version of this song is also on the CD of the same title (also released in 2002). Both versions omit the first and last verses of the song:

"Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar,
Thunderclaps rend the air.
Baffled, our foes, stand by the shore-
Follow they will not dare."

"Burned are their homes, exile and death,
Scatter the loyal men.
Yet e'er the sword, cool in the sheath-
Charlie will come again."

To view this video in a high quality mode (for those with computers capable of displaying it), just click on the blue text "watch in high quality" that appears beneath the "views" counter. The video quality is dramatically better! I hope you will agree.

"JOHN CHARLES McDERMOTT is a Canadian tenor best known for his rendition of "Danny Boy." Born the ninth of twelve children to Irish parents in Glasgow Scotland in 1955, John and his family moved to Canada in 1965. Growing up in a musical family, his only formal musical training was at St. Michael's Choir School in Toronto, Ontario in 1971 and 1972."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Irish
• Scottish
• Canadian
• Tenor
• Folk
• Culloden
• macrosent

[haddyanne]

Haunting background. Loved it very much, but he cannot disguise the fact that he is not Scottish. Nevertheless found it very good, but not dramatic enough. Culloden being the last stand of the Clans before they were all, unforunately slaughtered. Rockon, as they say. Very very good indeed.

[macrosent]

@haddyanne Well, you can call him what you will, or think of him what you will. But in the intro of this song (I edited it out) he talks about being born in Scotland (to Irish parents), and subsequently immigrating to Canada with his family. Scottish by birth only?

[Injektilo7]

It wasn't only the English that defeated the Jacobites at Culloden really, estimates vary, but certainly at least a third - and some claim the majority - of the government forces were Scottish Lowlanders. It's the main reason why the oppressed nation narrative doesn't really work for Scotland, our history has mostly consisted of kicking ourself in the teeth rather than any external tyranny.

[pteJames]

@haddyanne what do you know he was born in Scotland and Emigrated to Canada as a young boy with his family!

[19111ellyc]

@macrosent Maybe the confusion lies around the fact that he WAS indeed a member of the Original irish Tenor's group.

[mac123456for]

where do people get their information from ??? to make such comments and were they there on that fateful day? read the historical records and the ambiguous researchers comments. Neither the prince nor his fathers' personnal courage was in question, the other factors in history were at play! You should respeact that a lot of brave and honourable lives were lost that day including the prince's..........

[MsSearchingEagle]

@macrosent But if there would have been another leader.

one of the "lairds", a clan-leader or a common scottman. Perhaps the clans would have united!!!

Since as far as I know many clans did think what´s the diffrent between the king we have and an other king.

I still think Charlie should have fought on Culloden.

They´d Taken an oath, to obey him until death. In thoose days, this oath was holy. This oath was abot pretacting his life too. But I don´t think they actually could have forced Charlie.

[macrosent]

@MsSearchingEagle Most historical accounts relate the story that Bonnie Prince Charlie was forced by the Scottish armies to leave the area - that his survival was most important. And most agree that his remaining on the battlefield wouldn't have changed anything except the location and date of his death. I stand by my opinion that the in-fighting among the clans led to their demise. A united Scotland would have been unbeatable, even against the English cannon.

[MsSearchingEagle]

@macrosent Historically it´s a fact that Stuart fledd jumped in a boat/shipp. And leaving the Scottish to die there on the fields. He was a coward. Had there been a true Scottish leader, like William Wallace. I´m sure the clans would have united!

Well it is really sad wath happened on Culloden and the things that followed. Can´t blame all that on Stuart can I? NO.

Beautiful song!

[MsSearchingEagle]

@macrosent Well That´s a historic fact that prince stuart ran (actually jumped in a Boat/shipp) Leaving the scottish to die on The fields of Culloden. Stuart was a coward!

Really sad what happened on Culloden and the things that followed. Really sad there was no william Wallace, a true Scotsman who could have united the clans.

[macrosent]

@MsSearchingEagle Historically, that's a matter of some debate, as are many things Scottish. About the only thing not in debate is the fact that if the clans had united instead of fighting among themselves, there would have been less Scottish blood spilled, and more English.