Old Timey Tuesdays: The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond

It's another Old Timey Tuesday! Today, Alex and I take the high road AND the low road in many ways, by performing "The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond," a song with a dark past and a beautiful melody. Number 9598 in the Roud System, "Loch Lomond" is a lament associated with the Jacobite Uprising of 1745 as well as the "Loch" or Scottish Lake that bears its name.   The "high road" I mention refers to the long journey from London to Scotland, complete with Scottish heads on pikes (courtesy of the British) to accompany the bloody journey. The "low road" is when you managed to get yourself executed and then your soul flitted quickly back to your homeland, which is why "I'll get to Scotland a-fore ye." Eeeee. If that weren't disturbing enough, Alex and I decide to capitalize on being full of hot air, as it were. Human bagpipes? Aye. Mony a mickle maks a muckle, Laddie. We even throw in a bit of "Scotland the Brave," sort of.

I'm a good ol' American mutt, but it should be noted a solid percentage of my heritage is Scottish - my Grandma Clara was a Ross and my Gramps (for whom I wrote our song "Trains") was a Wallace.  While our interpretation of traditional Scottish dress may be a bit muddled, to say the least, Alex wears authentic Wallace tartan as well as Black Watch. I'm donning a mess of Stewart, Black Watch and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Loch Lomond itself even has a registered tartan although sadly it does not appear here.

Thanks for spending a little bit of your Tuesday with us!  Never miss an Old Timey Tuesday; subscribe to our mailing list and we will keep you updated on She's Folks shows, news, and of course, Old Timey Tuesdays. http://shesfolks.com/contact/ (We will never share your info.)

Up next for the Folks: The Broad-Way: a cabaret fundraiser for Brown Paper Box Co. Alex Newkirk, Khaki Pixley and I will perform a few of our women-written faves including She's Folks' "The Threshold." http://www.brownpaperbox.org/the-broad-way.html

Do you have an old-timey tune you love? Let us know and we might give it the She's Folks spin!

*On Old Timey Tuesdays we feature folk, bluegrass, country, blues, ballads, and work songs we love. Some we grew up singin'. Some we've discovered along the way. These songs don't appear in our live shows. But we love them too much not to play them. We hope you love them too.