Tag: Doinald Shaw

Songs Of Robert Burns was originally released in Germany and the USA between 1989 and 1991 but I believe that this is its first UK release. That seems to have been a terrible oversight on someone’s part. Andy M Stewart died in 2015 at the unreasonably young age of 63 after a long and successful career with Silly Wizard and a shorter solo stint. On this album he is supported by Mánus Lunny, with whom he also recorded as a duo, Donald Shaw and Charlie McKerron.

Robert Burns was a prolific writer and the world is now full of recordings of his songs. Andy M was not the first to commit to a whole album of them but many of the titles included here will be familiar but that’s no bad thing. This is a record to wallow in – both the material and performances will transport you away. There is no intrusive Anglicisation applied to the lyrics which are supplied alongside a helpful glossary, making this as authentic a record as it can be.

Andy begins with a boisterous ‘Rantin’ Rovin Robin’ – is there any other way to perform it? He immediately changes mood with ‘Ca’ The Yowes To The Knowes’ and note that he uses the full titles as Burns did so ‘For A’ That’ is actually called ‘Is There For Honest Poverty’ – I certainly didn’t know that although I probably should have. This is another robust reading of the song in keeping with Burns’ intention in writing it. Donald Shaw’s accordion underpins a stately version of ‘Green Grows The Rashes, O’, probably an older song that Burns “tidied up” a bit.

‘Ae Fond Kiss’ is one of Burns’ best-known songs and the rich arrangement is led by Charlie McKerron’s fiddle. ‘Hey, Ca’ Thro” is possibly the most Scottish sounding song, and another robust performance and ‘Hey How Johnnie Lad’ is another old song to which Burns married a tune and it tells of love and betrayal – what a swine this chap is. ‘The Lea Rig’ is a lovely romantic song although there are…ahem…less decorous versions. Romantic it may be but Andy M’s take isn’t sentimental.

Another song that Burns assembled is ‘It Was A’ For Our Rightfu’ King’ based on an Edinburgh street song and supposedly written by one of James II’s soldiers but facts are difficult to pin down. If you wish you can spend many happy hours piecing various accounts together. Like ‘Ae Fond Kiss’, ‘A Red, Red Rose’ is one of Burns’ most famous love songs and here again Andy M’s reading is remarkably unsentimental. It can come over as a bit soppy but not here. Finally, ‘To The Weaver’s Gin Ye Go’ probably only makes complete sense if you’re Scottish and understand something of the context but it makes for a rousing finale.

Songs Of Robert Burns boasts new artwork but still includes the original sleeve notes. Andy’s son Donald Stewart has done an excellent job in bringing this cracking record back to life and it is such a pity that Andy M Stewart isn’t still with us to tour it again.

Dai Jeffries

Artist’s website: https://andymstewart.org/

‘The Lea Rig’ from 1991: