Two days ago, Runrig celebrated their 40th birthday:
My all-time favourite band . . . depends what you like, of course, but I love these guys for a lot of reasons; the music, the lyrics; the music, the Gaelic; the lyrics, the music, the patriotism; the music, the all-around energy!
If you want to hear my favourite song by them, go here: Loch Lomond
listen to one of their Gaelic numbers here: An Sabhal aig Neill
and check out their website, too: www.runrig.co.uk/
Runrig released a new song “And We’ll Sing” in honour of their birthday. You can hear some of it here: http://www.runrig.co.uk/?discography=and-well-sing
I do wish I could be at the Party on the Moor this summer . . .
Runrig was started by brothers Rory and Calum MacDonald, who recently released their own record under the name “The Band From Rockall”. There are six members in the band, including Nova Scotia’s own Bruce Guthro (lead singer), who I understand spends half the year in Scotland recording and touring with Runrig.
You can check them out here: http://www.thebandfromrockall.co.uk/
I hope they had the best day ever! They certainly deserved it!!
A Random Harvest 
These words have been with me for years….
“You’ll take the high road and
I’ll take the low road and I’ll be in Scotland before you
Where me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond”
I watched a movie, just once, and can’t remember now if I was a child or teenager. There was a young boy in the movie who sang this song as he walked beside the Loch, and I have never forgotten the words, nor ever heard the song again! Thank you for the discovery Linne. 🙂
I’ve loved that song since childhood, too! CBC had a programme called “The Road to the Isles”; Mum listened to it weekly and that sparked an enduring love for all things Celtic . . .
Check out ‘The Corries’ on YouTube, if you need another addiction . . . sadly, Roy died from a brain tumour and now Ronnie has retired, but they were SO good together. Roy wrote ‘Flower of Scotland’, the unofficial anthem, sung at football (soccer) games far and wide (also on YouTube). They sang humourous, serious, old folk songs and their own stuff and I love it all!
Joanne, ‘Loch Lomond’ is the only song on my iPod twice 🙂 (same song; just that way I get to hear it more often) . . .
If you ever remember the name of the movie, olease let me know. Sounds like something I’d like!
Do you remember any details from the story?
Wow – 40! That’s quite an accomplishment. My favorite band (Pearl Jam) just celebrated their 20th last year. ❤
The Stones are 50 years in, I think. I still can’t believe I only discovered Runrig a few years ago, through a mention on the Great Big Sea website; GBS played with them once (Denmark or GB, I think). I’ve been a fan of The Corries forEVER, and Celtic music in general (more the older folk music, though), so ut was an easy jump to Runrig . . .
I like Eddie Vedder, too; I listen to him sing ‘Bring ’em Home’ and especially ‘Here’s to the State of George W’ on YouTube. At some point in the latter he talks about singing it for his daughter (at that time quite young, I think); that did it for me . . .
I meant to say, Stacy; I have seen the PBS special on Pearl Jam’s 20th anniversary a couple of times and loved it!
My grandfather was born in Australia from Scottish parents. I figure that’s where I get my desire to headbutt idiots on a regular basis…at least that’s what I am going to tell the police when my urges overtake my natural instinct to seethe 😉
I DO like the Scots! I always say they get their best traits from my Viking ancestors . . . lucky I’m out of head-butting range, eh, Missy??
and nothing like a Highlander in full regalia, complete with a set of bagpipes . . .