Mrs MacLeod Of Raasay
This is one of the best known Scottish reel tunes. It has different names in different
countries. We call it ‘Mrs MacLeod Of Raasay’, in the USA it is ‘Hop High
Ladies’.
We do not know anything about Mrs MacLeod, but it was the fashion for composers to name new tunes, or rename old tunes, after important people they wanted to compliment.
This reel seems to be based on the old march and song ‘The
Campbells Are Coming’. ‘Mrs MacLeod’ was published in Niel Gow's Fifth Collection, 1809. Gow said he had
the tune from a Mr. McLeod of Raasay who described it as ‘an original Isle of
Skye reel’.
‘Mrs MacLeod’ is used for mouth music songs (songs to dance
to) in both Gaelic and Scots.
One of the songs is a translation from the Gaelic original.
MacPhee turn the cattle round Loch Avornin.
MacPhee turn the cattle round Loch Avornin.
MacPhee turn the cattle round Loch Avornin.
Here and there and everywhere the kye are in the corn.
Waitin at the sheilin, Vhari Van mochree
Waitin at the sheilin, far awa tae sea.
Home will come the bonny boats, Vhari Van mochree,
Home will come the bonny boys, Vhari Van mochree.
Another song uses only the first part of the tune.
The black bull’s broken oot an eaten aa the corn
The black bull’s broken oot an eaten aa the corn
The black bull’s broken oot an eaten aa the corn
Ah winna bide tae Saturday, ah’ll away the morn.
