Old Blind Dogs blacksheep 2016
Dying words from a Scots soldier fighting against Napolean. — from liner notes on the live album
From wikipedia:
Old Blind Dogs is a Scottish musical group which plays traditional Scottish folk music and Celtic music, with influences from rock, reggae, jazz, blues, and Middle Eastern music rhythms.
From the band’s website:
The musical evolution of Old Blind Dogs began in Aberdeen in 1992 with roots that grew from the eclectic music scene that flourished in the Granite City during the early 90’s. Four musicians from very different musical backgrounds came together to create a full-time professional touring band with the aim of showcasing the rich tradition of songs and tunes of the North East of Scotland on an international stage.
Like many of the early flag bearing Scottish folk bands, the Old Blind Dogs line up has faced inevitable changes over the years but the core values at the band’s musical heart continue to beat strong. The current band line up has been settled for several years now and consists of four of Scotland’s finest traditional musicians at the top of their game. Original member Jonny Hardie (fiddle/vocals) is joined by Aaron Jones (cittern/guitar/vocals), Ali Hutton (pipes/whistles) and Donald Hay (percussion/vocals) and collectively they comprise one of the hottest live tickets on the traditional Scottish music scene today.
I first heard Old Blind Dogs when they came to play at the Irish Music Festival in my town. They sounded so good I bought a CD at the festival, “Old Blind Dogs play live,” which was released in 2004. Since then I’ve bought two more of their albums, “Wherever Yet May Be,” released in 2010, and “Room with a View,” released in 2017. I haven’t listened to the other two that much, but I return again and again to the live album.
When I saw the prompt for today, about an actual event, I immediately thought of Old Blind Dogs because it is my understanding that a lot of traditional Scots and Celtic tunes are about actual events. It is here that I found the song, “The Battle of Waterloo.” The song was originally on their seventh album, “The Word’s Room,” released in 1999.
per wikipedia:
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday, 6/18/1815, near Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two armies of the Seventh Coalition. One of these was a British-led force with units from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Hanover, Brunswick, and Nassau, under the command of the Duke of Wellington. The other comprised three corps of the Prussian army under Field Marshal Blücher. The battle was known contemporarily as the Battle of Mont Saint-Jean in France (after the hamlet of Mont-Saint-Jean) or La Belle Alliance in Prussia (means “the Beautiful Alliance”; after the inn of La Belle Alliance.)
Although the song is named after a true event, it is also about war in general. The way I read and understand it, it is sung from the perspective of a dying (or dead) soldier, which I confirmed by looking in the liner notes of the album. Further, it condemns war that seems to go on and on in this world. Over 200 years later, and what have we learned?
Spring comes tae Kirrie
Aw the world’s in bloom
Winter is forgiven now
Fooled by April’s broom
Kirrie, oh Kirrie
You were aye my hame
‘Til Napoleon’s bloody cannon hit their aim
[Verse 2]
Jeanie, oh, Jeanie
I am surely done
Stricken down in battle
At the mooth o Boney’s guns
Jeanie, oh, Jeanie
Aye sae dear tae me
Let me hold you in my mind before I dee
[Chorus]
For the cold returns in autumn
When the wind rakеs the trees
And the summer liеs forgotten
In a cold bed of leaves
As winter begins, aye mind Boney
It wasn’t only you
Who was broken on the field of Waterloo
[Verse 3]
Surgeon, oh, surgeon
Leave me wae my pain
Save your knife for others
Who will surely rise again
Surgeon, oh, surgeon
Leave ma blood to pour
Let it drain into the bitter clay once more
[Chorus]
For the cold returns in autumn
When the wind rakes the trees
And the summer lies forgotten
In a cold bed of leaves
As winter begins, aye mind Boney
It wasn’t only you
Who was broken on the field of Waterloo
[Verse 4]
Daughter, oh, daughter
Listen, dear, tae me
Never wed a sodger
Or a widow you will be
Daughter, oh daughter
Curse your lad to die
E’er he catches the recruitin’ sergeant’s eye
[Chorus]
For the cold returns in autumn
When the wind rakes the trees
And the summer lies forgotten
In a cold bed of leaves
As winter begins, aye mind Boney
It wasn’t only you
Who was broken on the field of Waterloo
[Verse 5]
Boney, oh, Boney
War was aye your game
Bloody field your table
Cannon yours to aim
Boney, oh, Boney
We aye live the same
Drillin’ laddies not to fear the muskets’ flame
[Chorus]
For the cold returns in autumn
When the wind rakes the trees
And the summer lies forgotten
In a cold bed of leaves
As winter begins, aye mind Boney
It wasn’t only you
Who was broken on the field of Waterloo
For the cold returns in autumn
When the wind rakes the trees
And the summer lies forgotten
In a cold bed of leaves
As winter begins, aye mind Boney
It wasn’t only you
Who was broken on the field of Waterloo
Songwriters: Traditional tune, lyrics by Jim Malcolm
Jim Adams is the host of Song Lyric Sunday. Our challenge this week is:
find a song based on true events suggested by Nancy aka The Sicilian Storyteller.
Tao Talk 
This is a song of mourning, and it is done very well. War is so sad as many people die for no good reason at all.
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Well-said, Jim.
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This is a beautiful ballad. I never heard of them. I do enjoy Scottish folk music. So, thank you!
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Marina, very happy to introduce them to you. They are excellent musicians.
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Great voice Lisa….wow…for some reason I think Gordon Lightfoot a little.
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I can hear that a little also, Max. They are a great band with so much talent.
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You can hear that talent…
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As I wrote over on Jim’s site, a great post which I almost di!
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If you want Gordon Lightfoot, Max, I’ve got one for you. Check out Jim’s site.
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I sure will.
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**did**
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Thanks for the intro of these amazing musicians, Li💕🎵
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My pleasure, Cindy. Perfect for a Sunday morning.
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Def!!!!❣️
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Fantastic! I love traditional folk music, and you can add English to Scots and Celtic for that. Hundreds of years of tradition, and the songs were often the way that news of events was passed on before the days of mass market communication. No tv or radio, no newspapers, but broadsheets of long lyrics were sold for minimal amounts, so the songs were passed on.
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Clive, I believe it.
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They have some wonderful music.
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Happy you know them, Paul :) Hearing them live was a real treat.
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Yes, live would be wonderful :)
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A very good choice. The music was great. Thanks for joining in and sharing it with us
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Thanks much, Sanjeet!
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I never heard of Old Blind Dogs before, but you fully sold me on them. They sound really great. The lyrics of that particular are heart-breaking. You can picture that doomed soldier dying in the battlefield.
And here we are more than 200 years later, and the plague of war hasn’t been eradicated! Humans are really good when it comes to destruction. Killing each other, killing the planet. I’m not very optimistic that’s ever going to change.
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Christian, this is one of their slower songs, but they do love to get into jam sessions that will get your foot tapping.
Best not to dwell too long on where we are headed (if something doesn’t interrupt our trajectory) :(
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Another new name for me but I listened to this intensely
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Glyn, they have a wonderful catalogue of music and do a bit of touring from what I understand. Such talented musicians and a tight, crisp sound.
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Indeed what have we learned, very little it seems. Really enjoyed this song and I wish I could remember who else posted a song by the Old Blind Dogs dogs recently as I had never hear of them prior.
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Absolutely , you have pick a great song the words encapsulated all war. …A great choice a great song.💜💜
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Willow, thank you so much. Glad/sorry? it resonates for you. Too many young men lost to senseless war waged by old men :(
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Randy, it was probably me :)
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Sorry I guess it was, the memory is going I’m afraid!
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Been there, done that — and do that! lol :)
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Good grief I think my other friends and I talk about that more than anything else. 🤣🤣
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I love ballads like this but this one’s a little more difficult to love because the lyrics are so grim. Verse #3… :( This could go on a list along with any American anti-war song from the 60’s. It may be even better because it doesn’t have the patriotism but just the horror of war for everyone involved (minus the politicians of course)
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Well-said, Michael. It had universal understanding. Sting has put out more than a few songs condemning war: e.g. “Russians”, “Children’s Crusade,” “They Dance Alone.”
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Yes those fat old cats never get involved do they
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This is a beautiful song, Lisa. They are very talented.
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Glad you enjoyed the tune.
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interesting band! And song! :D
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:)
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They sound good. “Winter is forgiven now”–what a great line.
Reminds me a bit of Gordon Lightfoot. (K)
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I like that line also. It’s wonderful poetry all of it.
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