Articles categorised as Singing

Songs and Rhymes from Childhood

Ewan McVicar has written the first comprehensive book regarding the lore, songs and rhymes of Scottish children, collected form the street and playground during the last 150 years. People are sure...

New Year singalang

Don't remember all the words to Auld Lang Syne? Don't worry - they're all here along with the words and tune to a Guid New Year tae Ane an Aa. You'll have no excuse for not joining in the...

Doric Cabaret Evening

As pairt o the city o Aiberdeen’s St Andra’s Weekend, the Associe o Grampian Storytellers is haein a Doric Cabaret Eening on Seturday 1 December at Union Terrace Gairdens, Aiberdeen, fae 7.30pm...

Stuart McHardy Traditional Night

Screivar an Scots steerar Stuart McHardy is tae sing tradeetional sangs at the Dumfaurlin Fowk Club, Thistle Tavern, Baldridgeburn, Dumfaurlin, on Wadensday 12 December, 8 for 8.30 stert. Tickets...

Supper Wi Burns

The Scots Centre for Storytelling is haudin a Supper Wi Burns on Wadensday 23 an Thursday 24 Januar. Linda Bandelier, David Campbell an Donald Smith is tae interteen fowk wi stories, poyems an...

Hogmanay

Thanks to Steve Byrne and Greentrax for giving permission to use this song http://www.greentrax.com/ 'Hogmanay' is a poem by Violet Jacob (1863-1946), collected in Songs of Angus (1915)

Auld Lang Syne

For a karaoke version of Auld Lang Syne to sing along to click here http://www.hogmanay.net/history/auldlangsyne Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld...

Burns on youtube

To celebrate Burns nicht we’ve put together a selection of just a few of the thousands of videos on youtube with a Burns connection.

Keltickev on youtube

Have a look at keltickev’s selection of Burns songs on youtube - some have the words in the accompanying information panel. Keltickev’s own web site has more information on Burns. Visit it at

Happy Valentine's Day

We're continuing our Burns theme by celebrating Valentine's Day with one of his most famous poems, My Luve is like a Red Red Rose. We hope you'll enjoy Isla St Clair's bitter sweet version of the...

Now Westlin Winds

Kevin Thompson, known as keltickev on youtube, is a regular on our site. Here he is singing, Now Westlin Winds, another of Burns many love songs.

The Bonnie Lass o Fyvie

A favourite from the North East, this is another of those love songs with a tragic ending. Performed by the Joe Gordon Folk Four, this video is from the old BBC TV programme, The White Heather Club.

Broken Gong

Fifer Andy Chung’s latest album, Broken Gong, contains all the voices that make up one of Scotland’s most unusual and distinctive singers. Kirkcaldy born Chung comes from a musical family with a...

Night of traditional song in Scots

The Aberdeen and Regional Oral History Association will be holding a traditional concert party on the night of Saturday 26 April. On the night there will be a series of traditional songs in Scots,...

The Scots Song Tradition

In this section of our website you can find an overview of the broad kirk of Scots songs and their many shapes, forms and contexts, down the centuries. It is by no means a comprehensive...

Ballads, Ridings and Truces

Summer time in Scotland marks the celebration of the Common Ridings during which some towns – particularly in the Borders – organise ceremonies to confirm the boundaries of the town and other...

Up wi’ auld Hawick

For an example of a modern Common Riding ballad please follow this link to hear Iain Scott leading others in singing ‘Up wi’ auld Hawick’ which also includes shots of the riders:

Dublin and Lewis acts win minority language song competition

Last Saturday night two young acts were chosen to represent the Celtic & Scots languages at the Liet International Song Competition for European minority languages. Ten acts from the various...

Traditional Arts Working Group - Public Meetings

David Francis, the chair of the Traditional Arts Working Group, will be hosting a series of public meetings across Scotland to allow as many people as possible the opportunity to feed their views...

Scotland and Norway come together in Boreas

Boreas, a musical outfit that brings together musicians and singers from Scotland and Norway, are looking for opportunities to perform and undertake workshops round about the middle of November...

Stanley Robertson

Stanley Roberston (1940-2009) was well known as one of the country’s most accomplished storytellers. He was a singer, a writer and a campaigner for the traveller community. Stanley’s life and...

EXCLUSIVE - ChielMeister talks to SLC

Nae Mince in Moray has been this year’s surprise Scots language hit on youtube. Writer and singer, The Chielmesiter, talks exclusively to the Scots Language Centre about mince, rowies, French...

Remembering Wee Willie Winkie

On 2 September a new memorial was unveiled on the wall of Tennents’ Brewery, Duke Street, Glasgow, to Scots language writer William Miller (1810-72) and his most famous composition ‘Wee Willie...

Launch of 'For A' That'

The launch of a new book entitled 'For A' That' will take place at the Dundee Rep Theatre at 7pm. The University of Dundee has commissioned various wriers to put together an anthology celebrating...

Annual Collogue of Scots Language Society

The Annual Collogue of the Scots Language Society will take place on Saturday 10 October 2009 at the A.K. Bell Library, York Place, Perth. This year’s theme is ‘The Interaction between Scots and...

Mither tongue in fine fettle, say Doric fans

Doric Festival report from the Press and Journal. www.pressandjournal.co.uk

O Aw The Airts

Well-known broadcaster and writer Billy Kay, together with singer Rod Paterson, and Derek Hoy and Norman Chalmers from 'Jock Tamson's Bairns', will be appearing at the Imprint Book Festival in...

The Poozies

The Poozies have a new CD out on Greentrax - 'Yellow like Sunshine'. Using a mixture of Gaelic, English and Scots, their songs reflect the diverse backgrounds of the band members. Further...

Doric Sampler

The 16th Doric Sampler from the Monymusk Arts Trust will be at 7pm. For more information enquire with The Arts Trust at www.artstrust.org

Old Songs with Scots Words

Monymusk Arts Trust presents Irene Drummond (soprano) and Alasdair Beatson (piano) performing songs with words by Scots poets. Monymusk Arts Centre, near Inverurie. Doors opem 3pm, tickets cost £8...

Tam Lin - a song for Halloween.

The Scots Language Centre has teamed up with the Traditional Music and Song Association to encourage the enjoyment and singing of Scots songs. Tam Lin, one of Scotland's oldest ballads, fits in...

Scots language songs online.

A monthly internet radio show has been focusing on Scots language in song and the School of Scottish Studies project 'Kist o Riches'. This project has been focusing on digitising the many Scots...

Merrier Christmas and Brawer Hogmanay at SLC

With December only weeks away, the Scots Language Centre is putting the finishing touches to what should be its best ever Christmas and New Year programme. There are many old favourites – the...

Shetland songs - Craigsaet.

A new CD of children's poetry, songs and stories has just been launched in Shetland. The dialect promotion group Shetland ForWirds has produced 'Craigsaet' a collection of traditional and new...

Twelve Days of Christmas

The well known festive song gets a Scots accent in this version by Sheena Blackhall. The Twalve Days o Yuletide is sung by a group of Scottish Music students from the Royal Scottish Academy of...

Scots Christmas songs for children

Sheena Blackhall has written many Scots songs and poems for children. Among them are several for Christmas time. We have here short video clips of Sheena singing the songs and below we have some...

Auld Lang Syne

So many have performed Auld Lang Syne, here are a selection of Scottish performers, Paolo Nutini, Dougie MacLean, MSPs at the Scottish Parliament and finally Mairi Campbell and Emily Smith.

Mick West CD

Greentrax Recordings have released a new CD of traditional Scots songs. 'Sark o Snaw' is the latest recording from Mick West and his band of well known and respected traditional musicians. Mick is...

Robert Burns the Songwriter

Burns is primarily regarded as Scotland's national poet, but there is strong evidence that he considered himself as much a songwriter as anything else. The work of Dr Fred Freeman in recording...

James Hogg songs

A major research project about the early 19th century Scottish writer James Hogg is culminating in the creation of a growing and valuable online resource. It currently contains articles and talks...

Nicola Black sings McDiarmid

Dumfriesshire musician Nicola Black has released a CD of Scots language songs called Moonstruck. Setting Hugh McDiarmid poetry to her own compositions, she has used a variety of styles to bring...

Iseabail's list of resources about Scots language in folksong

Buchan, David (1972, 1997) The Ballad and the Folk, East Linton: Tuckwell Press. The standard work on the ballad tradition of the North-East.Henderson, Hamish (1992) Alias MacAlias. Writings on...

Tannahill Weavers

Inspired by the poet Robert Tannahill, the Paisley band Tannahill Weavers have used many of Robert Tannahill's songs in performance. Here we can watch their version of the song 'The Ploo'boy...

Birds and children

Many Scots songs and poems are about birds. Here are a selection of children's songs and poetry about birds.

Alex Hodgson

Greentrax has released another fine CD of Scots language song. 'Jeelie Jars n Coalie Backies' is the latest release from the Prestonpans folk singer Alex Hodgson. Twice a finalist in the...

Entrants sought for Song Competition

The 7th Liet International minority language song contest is to be held in Lorient/An Orient, in Brittany on 27th November. Liet International is the only song contest for singers and bands who...

Sing a Sang o Soutar

On Thursday 11th November 2010 the Friends of William Soutar Society are hosting a musical celebration of William Soutar poems. Part of the Perth 800 anniversary programme the evening will be a...

Alistair Ogilvy presents Scots ballads

Alistair was a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland 'Young Traditional Musician Of The Year' Award in both 2011 and 2012, and has won the Traditional Music And Song Association's ‘Young Singer Of...

Christmas songs in Ulster Scots

Northern Ireland news organisation the 'News Letter' has announced details of a new book of Ulster-Scots Christmas music. Traditional Christmas carols have been translated into Scots by Anne...

New historical recordings resource

The Kist o Riches project aims to digitise, catalogue and disseminate Gaelic and Scots sound recordings. A new website for the project was this week launched in Edinburgh. This website contains...

"A Braw Nicht Oot"

Prestonpans storyteller Tim Porteous, together with storytellers from around Scotland, is set to mark the forthcoming Scots census question with a night of storytelling in Scots followed by a play...

Two new CDs

Two new CD releases show Scots language being used by young professional musicians today. Singers Jeana Leslie and Siobhan Miller's new album is called Shadows Tall, while the Paul McKenna Band...

Land Hunger

A dreep on the trough faas doon,The gate o’ the cattle- coort wallops ajee,The herdsman’s hishin the latchy kye till the byre, Sottar an tyauve, are the terms o’ a fairmer's fee.The plyter...

Alpha an Omega

Sang till the Unborn BairnYe slippit aneth ma breist, Murmerin thrum o life, Soomin in secret watter Kittle an blythe.I maun cairry an keep ye, Bairn i' the bane, Trimmlin sap i' the leaf, Wecht...

Perthshire Traveller songs

A new CD from Greentrax features songs and ballads from Perthshire field recordings made in the 1950s. Part of the Scottish Tradition Series it has been released as part of the celebrations to...

Sisyphus

It wis a doddle; rowin yon stane till the tap Balancin peace o' Mind ower a towerin drap Deistit up frae the foun.Contrary, the stane cowped doon;A game fur the young an swack.Bein gallus, an gey...

Emily Smith album

Emily Smith has recently released a new CD of folk songs - Traiveller's Joy. Singing in English and in Scots, Emily is following this up with a six week series of Scots song workshops in...

Mairtimas

The trees hae tyned their clootsNippicks o leaves, like tapsalteerie fire Turn reeftaps, cassies, burn, brae an byre Bluid-reid-organdie, aawye colour-ableeze A swatch o wud Matisse ower lum an...

Michael Marra & Saint Andrew

In 2009 Michael Marra performing as 'Saint Andrew'  released the album 'Hubris', a follow up to 'The Word on the Pavey'. This has been followed by a DVD containing Marra's animations accompanying...

Shona Donaldson of Tarland

Young traditional musician Shona Donaldson is a singer and fiddle player. Her career is continuing to grow with a new album released in 2011. 'Short Nichts and Lang Kisses' is a collection of...

Scots Song Collections

Two of the main collections of Scots song are known as the Child Ballads and the Greig-Duncan Folk-Song Collection.'The Child Ballads' is shorthand for the collection of 305 narrative songs...

Music Hall Songs

An often overlooked element of Scots song is that of the Scottish music hall, which for many people was a great source of entertainment from the mid-19th into the early 20th centuries. Scotland's...

Scots Mouth Music

An underplayed aspect of Scots song is its mouth music, the lowland cousin to the puirt a beul of the Gaidhealtachd. Similarly, largely meaningless or comical lyrics are used to underpin the...

Travellers' Songs

Through the collecting of folklorists in the 1950s, Scottish Travellers came to prominence as bearers of extensive repertoires of Scots song, amongst them many muckle sangs or classic ballads....

Weaving Songs

The songs of the millworkers of Scotland are perhaps best embodied by Dundonian Mary Brooksbank's song, Oh Dear Me, also known as The Jute Mill Song: Oh dear me, the mill's gaen festThe puir...

Angus & Dundee

Jim Reid: The Wild Geese/ Norland Wind by springthyme Steve Byrne of Arbroath has also put some of the poems of local poets to music, including Marion Angus from his home town, in The Seaward...

Songs of Robert Tannahill

Paisley weaver Robert Tannahill (1774-1810) was an accomplished songwriter and poet who penned some of our best-known songs.  His most famous compositions include the Braes o Balquhidder (later...

Children's Songs

Children's songs are as rich as source as any of Scots language in song.  The Edinburgh schoolteacher James T. Ritchie undertook important collecting of the songs being sung in Edinburgh...

Borders

With the publication of Sir Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border in 1802, which went on to be published and translated around the world, the Borders became revered as a heartland...

Appalachia

When Scots travelled to North America, naturally they took their songs with them. One of the richest areas where versions of Scots songs are found is in the Appalachians in the eastern United...

Political and Protest Songs

Scotland's complex history means it has never been short of political and protest songs in the Scots tongue. One of the most iconic is of course Robert Burns' song of equality and brotherhood, A...

Comic and Bawdy Songs

Comic songs feature heavily in the Scots tradition,  whether it be the misfortunes of poor country chiels in the big city, marital strife, romantic mishaps or chaotic scenes in the byre. Country...

Scots Song Resources

A wide variety of Scots Song resources is now available online.  Kist o Riches / Tobar an Dualchais is home to over 30,000 digitised field recordings in Scots and Gaelic mainly from the archives...

Modern Songwriters in Scots

The 20th-century Scottish Folk Revival with its mixture of politics and the search for cultural identity has given rise to a healthy body of songwriters who use Scots as a vehicle for their ideas...

Jacobite Songs

Scots songs celebrating Prince Charles Edward Stuart and his relatives were very much in vogue in the 19th century, although few, if any, were contemporaneous with the events of the Jacobite...

The Language of Scots Song

In the folk field, as well as in the less sure-footed literary Lallans, Scots may be said to 'include English, and go beyond it'.Hamish Henderson. The Ballads in 'A Companion to Scottish Culture',...

Europe

As part of the wave of Romanticism in the 18th and 19th centuries, encompassing James MacPherson's Ossian and the works of Sir Walter Scott, certain Scots songs became famous across Europe,...

Ulster

Given its proximity to south-west Scotland, Ulster is also home to versions of Scots songs which have travelled over with Scottish settlers as far back as the Plantations of Ulster from the 1600s...

Love and Courting

Amongst all the politics, murder ballads, and songs about work, the Scots do find time for singing a wee bit about old fashioned romance in their mither tongue! Here's Barbara Dymock and Maureen...

Songs for St Andrew's

  Liberty  Written by George Weir (words) and Roy Williamson (music), sung by The Corries Written by Peebles baker George Weir, with Roy Williamson of The Corries, this song celebrates a number...

Season song list

A playlist of various songs relating to the seasons and weather.

A Sang for Oyne

An Aberdeenshire school recently hit the headlines for its promotion of the Scots language and traditional song. Drama teacher Margaret Hearne, together with Sharon Hassan, wrote the script for a...

The Cundeez

On Tuesday evening last (April 30) Dauvit Horsbroch and Katrina MacLeod from the Scots Language Centre met up with Dundee band The Cundeez at the Seagate Recording Studio in Dundee. The Cundeez,...

A Braw Nicht Oot

Storyteller Tim Porteus is hosting another Braw Nicht Oot at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh, beginning at 7pm. Tickets cost £7 (£5 concession). For a night of...

The Bothy & Beyond

Scottish musician and singer Steve Byrne will be hosting a practical class in the Muckle Sangs of Scots, beginning at 3pm in Teviot Row House, 13 Bristow Square, Edinburgh. Tickets cost £6...

Bothy Nichts

Scottish musician and singer Steve Byrne will be hosting (with other singers) a night of traditional songs at Teviot Row House, 13 Bristow Square, Edinburgh, beginning at 7pm. Tickets are £10 (£7...

Singin The Sea

The Scottish Fisheries Museum, St Ayles, Harbourhead, Anstruther Easter, Fife, is hosting 'Singin The Sea', a special workshop devoted to the traditional tales and songs of the Scottish fishing...

Dr Sheila Douglas 1932-2013

The Scots language community was saddened by the death of Dr Sheila Douglas at the end of April. Sheila was a well-known figure in the musical and Scots communities for many years. Born in...

Eneados 500

Five hundred years ago, on St Mary Magdalene’s Day (22 July) 1513, Scots master poet, or makar, Gavin Douglas completed his translation into Scots of the Roman Virgil’s (70-19 BC) Latin work The...