December 19, 2016 By Diane Kemp

Ray’s chat number 15

Hi Folks

It’s RAYS CHAT FIFTEEN.
I hope you had a Great Christmas; and now are looking forward to a HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Yes 2017 is going to be BIG in our lives; What with Brexit:
and I wonder How Donald Trump will change our lives?
So: for 2017 We are going to start the year with looking at SCOTTISH SONGS. And one song that comes to mind is
WILD MOUNTAIN THYME. Maybe because I knew a girl in My JUG OF PUNCH days, Who had a really lovely voice; and I introduced her to Ian Campbell: I told him She really was good: and so He put her on the Singers List:
So: She stood there in front of the 400 hundred or so Jug audience. She stood there and sang unaccompanied singing
THE WILD MOUNTAIN THYME, There was complete silence as she sang: Then the Audience Applause EXPLODED. She had totally WON the Jug Crowd.
Barry Roberts was in the Club that night; He had always been a Solo singer:
But: He was blown away with Pauline’s voice; and from that night Pauline and Barry were a DUO.

So: Yes guess what my First song choice is going to be?
SARAH CALDERWOOD –WILD MOUNTAIN THYME.
OH Gorgeous singing.
But we have a bit of a problem!! You see the Irish Also say the song is theirs??

So; we will go for a definitive Scottish Song. I have to admit this is a NEW Song to me: But When I heard it,
Wow!! Oh: So good.
Just listen to this gorgeous voice singing unaccompanied.
LAND O’THE LEAL. JEAN REDPATH
Yes; a Great find for me: Beautiful singing You don’t
Get to hear such a lovely song, that often. YES MAGIC FIND.
But you might be thinking; Where is a Scottish Song we know?

Well here is a song I am sure you will know ANNIE LAURIE
And this is a singer you may not have heard before: Superb voice.
Put in: JOHN McDERMOTT – ANNIE LAURIE
Well you have to say that is Scottish.

And now for a Blast from the Past: Just listen to:
DEANNA DURBIN SINGING ANNIE LAURIE:
This really is going way back in History.
Deanna Durbin was an American Child Prodigy, Who sang like an Angel. Yes just listen to her sing Annie Laurie.
She was about Nineteen when she Recorded this in 1940.
Yes: I told you this was HISTORY. But just listen to her gorgeous voice. She was VERY Famous in her day.
She was born 1921 and died in 2013 at the good age of 92.
Yes a real Blast from the past.

Well maybe you are saying THIS IS NOT FOLK!! Ok well you can listen to this;
Yes a Real Folk Song about a real Battle..
Put in, THE CORRIES – BANNOCK BURN
Oh The Corries make a Great job of this.
The Corries were one of the VERY Best Scottish Folk Groups.
And strange this song reminds me of something??
OH YES: LONNIE DONEGAN did it as Skiffle.

There are Hundreds of Historical Scottish Songs: Well remember they were very turbulent times over Scottish History and there are lots of songs about BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE;
Try this one it is a Jocobite song and the Corries do a Great Job:
WILL YE NO COME BACK AGAIN Great Version.

BUT: just listen how Jean Redpath sings it: Put in
WILL YE NO COME BACK AGAIN. JEAN REDPATH
You just have to love that: So beautifully sung by one of Scotland’s Singers Best Singers.

So many of the Scottish Songs are Sad songs of Mothers, Wives, Lovers, longing for their loved ones to return from some Battle or other. So many never did return!.

But there is one Scottish Song that I MUST talk about.

This is one of my most favourite songs, that I requested OH So many times in my JUG OF PUNCH days.

It is LORNA CAMPBELL singing a Song that SHE sang BETTER than anyone else ever did: You got to listen to this: It is a sad song written after the Battle of Culloden. OH YES Listen to this:
HIGHLAND WIDOWS LAMENT – LORNA CAMPBELL
OHH!! You will never hear better singing than that.
Superbly sung and a gorgeous voice.
I was so Lucky to hear this many times.
If you never to listen to anything else on youtube..
Make sure you don’t miss Lorna. IT IS SUPERB.

One Scottish song I would think most of you have heard is
Loch Lomond. And I have found a really lovely version I hope you will enjoy:
Put in:
SCOTTISH MUSIC – LOCH LOMOND
And the video of Scottish Lochs is also Rather Good.

So there you are a nice Gentle end to this Rays Chat.

Yes well that’s it for this time: we have looked and listened to some Great Songs and Great Singers.
I just hope I have helped you find something that will give you a great start to 2017.See you then.

So it’s Cheerio time
And Talking About Lorna
Reminds me of more
of my JUG OF PUNCH
Days: Next time.
Nice Chatting to You

RAY