Henry's Songbook

Music sequenced © by Ron Clarke / 03.2000
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chorus
Let the love of our land's sacred rights
To the love of our people succeed
Let friendship and honour unite
And flourish on both sides the Tweed

What's the spring - breathing jasmine and rose
What's the summer with all its gay train
Or the splendour of autumn to those
Who've bartered their freedom for gain

No sweetness the senses can cheer
Which corruption and bribery bind
No brightness that gloom can e'er clear
For honour's the sum of the mind

Let virtue distinguish the brave
Place riches in lowest degree
Think them poorest who can be a slave
Them richest who dare to be free

As sung by Dick Gaughan

[1970:] Born in Ettrick Forest, [James Hogg (1770-1835)] spent his early days as a shepherd, but he was discovered by [Sir Walter] Scott while collecting material for his 'Border Minstrelsy', and taken under that ample wing. He had almost no formal education, [...] but he soon became famous among the famous of his time - helped by his magnificent personality. He farmed most of his life and left a variety of notable works [...]. (Penguin Book of Scottish Verse 15f)

[1981:] This was originally a comment on the Act of Union of 1707, an act of political and economic expediency which it is an understatement to say was unpopular at the time in Scotland. I didn't like the original tune (Hogg's 'Jacobite Relics') and rewrote the words to make it of more contemporary relevance. The only way forward is by mutual respect and understanding. (Notes Dick Gaughan, Handful of Earth)

[1992:] Written to save my sanity after the referendum of 1979, against what Scots have done to themselves and against racism wherever it comes from. Makes the point that Scottish nationalism is not directed (or shouldn't be) against the English as such. (Dick Gaughan, intro Milngavie)

[1994:] In 1950 there was already something in the air in Scotland. The Scottish Covenant Association had collected around two million signatures, petitioning the U.K. government for a referendum on the re-establishment of a Scottish parliament. Sounds familiar! The 'Guardian', exactly thirty years later, reported that "among the signatures there was certainly a high incidence of William Wallaces and Bonnie Prince Charlies, Rabbie Burnses and John MacLeans" - ay, and a few thousand Yogi Bears and Boo Boos, not to mention Watt Nicolls, Fat Boabs and Soapy Soutars [two popular Scottish cartoon characters]. But the valid total was at least a million and a quarter, out of a Scottish population of five million. (Gordon McCulloch, The Eskimo Republic)