"Must Play" songs at a Scottish event

**MacGumerait** · 23rd October 12, 10:41 PM

Unclevenus , here is a song that can be played after the formalities are over at the banquet ( i.e. the speaking and the eating , etc. are over ) and the room is still calm and perhaps ready to go to the next stage which is glass waving and dance .

It starts out calm and then goes bold , you probably already know the tune " When the Pipers Play " . It can often be a good transition song at a banquet to go from formal.... to glass waving and toasting ... to more high spirited tunes . Some may differ , but I hold this tune in high regard .

Here are a couple of links for the tune , the second one is the better .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVb5-...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MOUc...eature=related

Best to ya ! Mike

**OC Richard** · 24th October 12, 01:34 AM

As a musician who has been playing events for over 35 years, what I'll say is that it varies depending on the audience.

I don't have as much experience with Scottish-themed events; at those I play all the standard pipe tunes, and I have quite a few Robert Burns tunes that I plays at Burns Suppers.

Thing is, most of the "general public" knows only a couple Scottish tunes anyhow. Their knowledge of pipe tunes encompasses Amazing Grace and "that other one" by which they mean Scotland the Brave. (And Amazing Grace isn't Scottish!)

It all depends on what the people have been exposed to. Around here, for decades, we have had Alex Beaton performing at all the Highland Games, and anybody who is a Highland Games regular is familiar with Alex Beaton's repertoire, and would expect those songs to be sung at any Scottish-themed event. (You could go to his website and see his songs.)

I'm far more familiar with the Irish music scene, but perhaps the Scottish scene has similar aspects: when performing Irish music here in the States it's good to be aware of the three main genres of Irish music.

First, what Americans who aren't into the "Irish music scene" generally think of as "Irish songs" are the "tin pan alley" songs composed in New York like Irish Eyes are Smiling etc etc. These of course aren't "Irish" per se but American. I also put into this category a song like Toora Loora, written for a Bing Crosby movie.

Second, there are the "Irish folk songs" of the 1960s etc which are the Irish equivalent to our Peter Paul & Mary etc, composed quasi-folk songs such as Fields of Athenry and also actual Irish folk songs made popular by The Clancy Brothers etc that many middle-aged people born and raised in Ireland think of as "Irish music".

Then there are the genuine Irish songs in the Irish language, the sean nos songs, which older people born and raised in Ireland especially in Irish-speaking homes think of as "Irish music", such as Roisin Dubh etc etc.

So when I'm peforming at an Irish funeral, wedding, etc I tend to cycle through these three genres so as to hit all the demographics which may be present.

I suspect that the same might hold true for Scottish event: that you have the songs which Americans think of as "Scottish", the songs that people born and raised in Scotland like, and the songs that older people raised in Gaelic-speaking homes like.

**Laird_M** · 24th October 12, 04:17 AM

Having a St. Andrew's Tide event coming up with our cubs next month, I'll be downloading 'When Pipers Play' and converting to MP3. Cheers Mike.

**McClef** · 24th October 12, 04:33 AM

As it is not kilt related thread moved to miscellaneous.

**unclevenus** · 24th October 12, 04:45 AM

That's along the lines that I have been trying to cover. Incorporating traditional, instrumental and a bit of modern songs. As recommended, I'll throw on "When The Piper's Play". Just wanting to make sure there's not one particular one that jumps out. This may be applicable to St. Andrew's Night, Burns Night, etc.

**Woodsheal** · 24th October 12, 05:48 AM

I always enjoy "Banks of Sicily" - also know as "Farewell to Sicily" or more properly "The 51st Highlanders Farewell to Sicily." A great song, though somewhat somber.

This is a decent version, in Scots (don't like the "translated" English versions!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-USyD...eature=related