Why do the Jacobites have all the best tunes?

(Hi)
 
I recently dug out an old book by Robin Williamson (of Incredible String Band fame) “English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes.”
 
So much great music surrounded the Jacobite rebellion. The songs were of course propaganda so they had to be rousing. They lend them self to modern, electric treatment quite well. Five Hand Reel’s version of Sherrifmuir was up there with the greatest electric versions of a traditional song ever recorded.
 
I have just been playing around with a couple of tunes that slot together, “Cam Ye Ower Frae France” and “Bobbin John” using mostly Orange Tree Samples Evolution Series guitar sample libraries. “France” lends its self to heavy palm mutes from Dracus (the metal orientated 8 string) and “Bobin John” distorted, almost bagpipe like sound from Strawberry. It’s sounding very heavy.
 
If I can work out a drum part I will put it up on the song forum. I am looking to Platinum Samples “Military Cadence” MIDI pattern library for inspiration as it has the right type of marching patterns The tunes are in 3/2 so it will need a bit of work.
  
As an aside Bobbin John, victor at the battle of Sheriffmuir also turns in on Genesis’s Wind and Wuthering in the song “11^th Earl of Mar.”

Of course 'Haughs O Cromdale', that was one of their very best. The interplay between Eagalsham and Gaughan's voices was fantastic!

My arrangement of “Cam Ye Ower Frae France” and “Bobbin John” is now on the songs forum http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3513084

I don't think it's so much that the Jacobites had the best tunes, but that they get the same kind of romanticised image remake that the English Civil War Royalists and the Confederacy sometimes get.

As in they were noble, romantic, inspiring but quite wrong, as contrasted to their opponents who were dull, boring, serious and generally speaking right. Which completely ignores the issues involved and history of course.

Back in the 1960s the BBC broadcast an annual series of radio programmes aimed at junior schools called 'Singing Together'. It not only got kids singing but also presented (often bowdlerised or re-worked by 'real' arrangers) versions of a lot of folk songs from all over the world. I remember my entire class belting out 'Bonnie Dundee' without the slightest clue who this 'Dundee' person was or what he did.

Obviously, going from the lyrics, he was some kind of military hero and equally obviously Scots.

It was years later I discovered the lyrics were written by Sir Walter Scott (the same Scott who pretty much created the idea of clan tartans and highland dress) nearly 150 years after the event. Which was the 1689 Jacobite rising in which the Laird of Claverhouse, known as 'Bonnie Dundee' played a leading role and died during the Jacobite victory of Killiecrankie. Far from being a nice romantic hero, before the uprising Dundee had been in the lead of persecuting Scots Covenantors who amongst other things opposed the revived Stuart monarchy and wished to retain parliamentary government rather than have a king ruling by absolute 'divine right'.

Still, the song has a great tune, which like many used for Jacobite songs was around a long time before there were Jacobites.

The anti-Jacobites did have songs and tunes, but being the government side tended to have them written or at least poshed up by composers and arranged for 'proper' bands to play. So they're mostly very 'standard issue 18th century military music', the most famous being the British national anthem though these days we generally miss out the verse about sending an army to crush the rebellious Scots.

tlw
The anti-Jacobites did have songs and tunes, but being the government side tended to have them written or at least poshed up by composers and arranged for 'proper' bands to play. So they're mostly very 'standard issue 18th century military music', the most famous being the British national anthem though these days we generally miss out the verse about sending an army to crush the rebellious Scots.

A good point!
Yes the failed rebellion was perfect fodder for romanticism and most of the pro Jacobite propaganda songs were certainly more rousing than.
 
Lord, grant that Marshal Wade
May by thy mighty aid
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush and like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush.
God save the King.
 
I remember the Billy Connely sketch about that verse quite well