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The Forfar Sodger

Date April 1952
Track ID 4455
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1952.01.B5 (B16)

Original Tape ID

SA1952.001

Summary

This song tells the story of a Forfar weaver's son who joined the army, was sent to Spain to fight, and was injured. He was sent home to Forfar where he now lives off his pension.

Willie Mathieson learned the song at the threshing when he was a boy.

Item Notes

Text and music transcribed in the School of Scottish Studies. 13 verses. Originally called 'The Forfar Pensioner', written by David Shaw of Forfar (c. 1776-1856). It was "composed during the reign of 'brochan an' brose,' big blue bonnets, and Waterloo pipes (Alan Reid, 'Bards of Angus and the Mearns', Paisley, 1897). Possibly written in the 1830s.

See also:
Greig-Duncan vol. 1, pp. 161-170, no. 69
Willie Mathieson's MSS I:32

Recording Location

County - Aberdeenshire

Parish - Ellon

Village/Place - Ellon

Item Location

County - Angus

Parish - Forfar

Village/Place - Forfar

Language

Scots

Collection

SoSS

Classification

R2857 GD69

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good