lochanside

From Tich Frier's new cd "Shanghaied" "Lochanside"




Lochanside (Tune McLellan; words and arrangement Jim Malcolm MCPS PRS; pub Malcolm) Lyrics
Come the winter, cold and dreary
Brings the hawk down from the high scree
to the whins where snowy hares hide
All around the Lochanside
Come the spring the land lies weary
Till the sun shines out so cheery
Brings the bloom, for all of June¹s pride
All around the Lochanside
If you'd been you¹d have seen the scatter
O the peezies o¹er the machair
When above the tawny owl glides
All around the Lochanside
And the heron he comes a-creeping
Through the rashes so green and dreeping
to the pool where wily trout slide
All around the Lochanside

Aye if you ever have a reason
To be here in any season
Come and try the barley bree in
Round the fire on Lochanside
Summer time the fish are louping
Dippers in the burnies couping
Swallows fly from dawn til evens-tide
All around the Lochanside
By the autumn the pinks are winging
Blaeberries o¹er the moors are hanging
Salmon through the surging spate fight
All around the Lochanside

If ye¹d been ye¹d have seen the scatter
O the peezies o¹er the machair
When above the tawny owl glides
All around the Lochanside
Aye if you ever have a reason
To be here in any season
Come and try the barley bree in
Round the fire on Lochanside
Aye if you ever have a notion
To be welcomed with devotion
Travel home o¹er any ocean
To be here on Lochanside

Category:

Music

Tags:

• folk
• scots

[cheerydavie]

Johhny Cunningham's, version was truly woderful he like so many others died far to young.Thanks for your comments on Tich's version

[Gairlochan]

Brilliant interpretation and superb lyrics by Jim Malcom. I'll hear the echo of these words every time I hear the tune from now on.

Btw, does anyone know anything of the origins of the tune? It's history and associations? I've heard several interpretations which were in the context of war or a battle ...

[cheerydavie]

McLellan, who was born to Neil and Mary (Darroch) McClellan on August 5, 1875 was an acomplished piper, composer as well as lyricist, poet and even a painter from a town in Argyll region of Scotland called Dunoon. He had a brother named Neil was also a piper although I don't know if he had any other siblings at the time of this writing. Anyway, It is said that the inspiration for this tune may have come from McLellan's time spent along the secluded shores of Loch Loskin,

[DamianNixon]

mighty. Is that Northumbrian pipes Davie?

[cheerydavie]

No its Highland pipes and small pipes....... thanks for your good comments

[celticaffairs]

@Gairlochan Hi There, I just stumbled onto this whilst getting ready for a concert and hoping to intoduce this tune to the band. The name actually comes from Loch Lochan that is just outside Dunoon. I'm from Dunoon and played with the Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band. Cheers, David Ramsay.

[GoldenOldies60and70s]

Great pipe tune and accordion tune! That voice sounds like Andy Steward!

[Gairlochan]

The tragedy of Johnny's death, so so young and with so much still to give, was compounded by the deaths of Tony Cuffe and Davy Steele, all within a few years, both also tragically young. I can't think about that time without tears. I felt as if a huge chunk of the most beautiful music in the world had just died. I was devastated. I haven't found any artists to fill the gaps they left. There's lots of talent about, but those three were pretty much my favourites, especially Davy; such soul ...

[Gairlochan]

Thank you for that bit of insight into the tune. That explanation fits with the name 'lachanside' (loch side). I've always loved it, and frequently murder it on both fiddle and whistle ;-).

[Gairlochan]

These lyrics work really well for Lochanside; I'm impressed!

My favourite rendering of this classic tune has always been the (sadly deceased) Johhny Cunningham's, on one of the Celtic Fiddle Festival CDs (can't remember which now). He played it with his customary sweet, expressive, subtle touch and a light hand on the bow ... but this version has changed my perception of the tune; I'll never listen to it again without the echo of these lyrics in my head.

Thanks for posting!

[pili2255]

Excellent song and interpretation!!! 5/5

Gaby.

[DamianNixon]

Those small pipes are lovely and haunting.