The words of a song and the style of singing are different a...
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1976.208.A3
Original Tape ID
Summary
The words of a song and the style of singing are different among Travellers in different parts of Scotland.
The same song might have different words with Travellers in different counties, but the same tune. The style of singing of Travellers is also different in different counties. Duncan Williamson sings songs the same way as his father because that is how he heard them. Other Travellers would also pick up songs the way they heard them. The storyteller Johnnie MacDonald, who was brought up in Argyllshire, but spent a lot of time in Perthshire and Fife, travelled all of Scotland. He had different versions of songs depending on where he had picked them up. Mary (Duncan's sister-in-law in Lochgilphead) had the Argyllshire way of singing 'I wish I were a Maid again'. When Johnnie MacDonald sang different versions of songs, Duncan was able to tell whereabouts in Scotland the song had come from.
Recording Location
County - Fife
Parish - Cupar
Village/Place - Cupar
Language
Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good