Anthologies   •   A' The Bairns O Adam

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  • A' The Bairns O Adam
    • 2003 - Greentrax CDTRAX244 CD (UK)
  • Tracklist
    1. Ballad of the D-Day Dodgers — Rod Paterson
    2. Poem - So Long — Fred Freeman
    3. The Flyting o' Life and Daith — Alison McMorland
    4. Vctory Hoedown Adam McNaughtan
    5. Rivonia The Corrie Folk Trio
    6. The Freedom Come -All -Ye — Jim Reid
    7. Poem-Ninth Elegy & Song - Thug Oirinn Oro — Margaret Bennett
    8. The Ballad of the Men of Knoydart — Geordie McIntyre
    9. The Speaking Heart Gordeanna McCulloch
    10. The Song of the Gillie More Dick Gaughan
    11. The 51st Highland Division's Farewell to Sicily — Hamish Henderson
    12. The John MacLean March The Laggan
    13. Pipe Tunes & Poem-Lament for the Son — Allan MacDonald & Fred Freeman
    14. Mouth Music — Hamish Henderson
    15. Auld Reekies Roses — Eurydice Choir w/Godeanna McCulloch
    16. My Son David Jeannie Robertson

  • Credits
    • Produced by Dr. Fred Freeman
    • Mastered by Peter Haigh
    • Tracks 1-4, 6-9, 13 & 15
      • Recorded at Pier House Studios, Edinburgh, Nov/Dec 2002 by Peter Haigh & Richard Werner
      • Mixed at Pier House Studios by Dr. Fred Freeman & Peter Haigh
    • Design by John Slavin @ The Living Tradition
    • The photographs, from various sources, are used by kind permission of Katzel Henderson
    • For Katzel, Tina & Janet Henderson and in celebration of David Daiches' 90th birthday

My grateful thanks to Katzel Henderson, Margaret MacKay, of The School of Scottish Studies, Tony Engle, of Topic Records, Jim McLean, Ronnie Browne, Bill Smith & the Trustees of the Roy Williamson Estate & all the singers & musicians who gave of their talents so willingly. Thanks to Dr. Ray Ross (Editor Hamish Henderson Collected Poems & Songs) for providing reliable texts. Special thanks to Dr. Fred Freeman who showed so much enthusiasm for the project & worked tirelessly to complete it, also Peter Haigh & John Slavin.

Ian Green of Greentrax Recordings


Sleeve Notes (Excerpts)

Poet, songwriter, soldier, collector, academic - none of these pigeon -holes do justice to the late Hamish Henderson, one of the great cultural figures of 20th century Scotland. Most of the tracks were recorded specially for this album by artists who were personal friends of Hamish, or greatly admired his work.


Notes

Concerning the track — "Rivonia" — all the sources I found note that this song was recorded in 1968, two years after Bill Smith left the (Corrie Folk) trio — see below.

"One very unusual track on the album was found amongst Hamish's personal things where it had lain for some years. In 1968 Hamish invited The Corrie Folk Trio (Ronnie Browne, Bill Smith and the late Roy Williamson) to the School of Scottish Studies to record his song Rivonia (Free Mandela). Martin Carthy, by chance, was visiting Roy Williamson and remembers the occasion. Without much arm-twisting Hamish convinced The Corrie Folk Trio to rehearse and record the song on the spot, a recording earmarked specifically for Nelson Mandela and the freedom fighters in South Africa.

A copy of the recording was in fact smuggled on to Robben Island where Mandela heard and received it with delight. Hamish later telephoned Bill Smith to say he had received a letter from Mandela thanking him for his ‘time, effort and concern'. Years later Mandela thanked Hamish in person while visiting Scotland - on the occasion of Nelson Mandela being presented with the Freedom of the City of Glasgow."