Sound The Pibroch - Traditional Scottish Song - HIVE Open Mic 155

Hey Folks

I wasn't sure I had a song for this week's theme until I started listening to a lot of traditional Scots/Irish songs yesterday.

I found this tune which dates back to the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite Rebellion of 1746.

Id like to take you back in time back to the Scottish highlands.
Back to April 16th 1746 ,which I believe it was a Wednesday

On this particular morning, sleet was driving into the faces of the highland men as they came down to meet a great English force that was coming north over the border into Scotland

The English were under the leadership of a man called William Augustus,The Duke Of Cumberland, who was also known as the Bloody Butcher.He was coming up to wipe out the wild savage Highlanders.

At this time the English wanted to put sheep in the place of highland men since
there was more money in sheep than in human beings.

The Highlanders were led by Prince Charles Edward Stewart or Bonnie Prince Charlie.

As they came down from the mountains, in front of each clan was a piper, playing the Pibroch (The Gaelic name for Bagpipes)to give them courage and to frighten the enemy.

They came down with claymores in hand, those great double-edged swords.On this day fathers would fight and die beside their sons and brothers beside brothers.

They met the English on Cullodeans moor but they were no match for the English artillery. The battle only lasted half an hour , maybe 45 minutes.
In that time most of the highland men were wiped out and with them a whole traditional way of life.

Gaelic Scotland was almost forever gone.The people that were left went out to Nova Scotia.

This time in Scottish history is deeply ingrained into the collective memory and DNA of the people and although a lot was lost most of our best folk songs date back from the era.

Our chorus here is "Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham" which google translate tells me is Gaelic for "It's coming under me, under me, under me"

Im not sure the exact meaning of these words but it is a lot of fun to sing the Gaelic version here.

"Sound the Pibroch"
Song by The Corries

Sound the pibroch loud and high
Frae John o' Groats tae Isle o' Skye
Let every clan their battle cry
Rise and follow Charlie

By dark Loch Shiel they've made their stand
See that small devoted band
Who bravely swore thier heart and hand
To rise and follow Charlie

Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
Rise and follow Charlie

From every hill and every glen
Gathered fast they loyal men
With sword in hand they'd cry again
Hurrah for Royal Charlie

On dark Culloden's field of gore
Hark they cry Claymore, Claymore
And bravely fight what could they more
Than die for Royal Charlie

Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
Rise and follow Charlie

Now on the barren heath they lie
Their Funeral Dirge the eagle's cry
Mountain breezes o'er them sigh
Wha' fought and died for Charlie

No more we'll see such deeds again
Deserted is each Highland glen
And lonely cairns lie o'er the men
Wha' fought and died for Charlie

Sound the bagpipes loud and high
Frae John o' Groats tae Isle o' Skye
Let every clan their battle cry
Rise for Bonnie Charlie

Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
Rise for Bonnie Charlie

Sound the bagpipes loud and high
Frae John o' Groats tae Isle o' Skye
Let every clan their battle cry
For those who died for Charlie