Fields of Glory

[AnneM]

Hi to all youze experts in popular culture.

When we were in Sri Lanka, one of our hosts had a tape of Scottish and Irish songs performed by an unidentified female singer and it included a song I know as the "Fields of Glory". My husband took a liking to the song and was looking for a recording. I've had a rake around on Amazon, googled it etc. and can find no performance by anyone other than Andy Stewart, at which point it appears as "When the battle's o'er." (Not a fan of Andy's I'm afraid.)

Someone said to me that it was originally a pipe tune and Andy S put the words to it as he did to A Scottish Soldier. Now I have no doubt it is a pipe tune and indeed a competition piece for the pipes as I've heard it time out of mind at the Games (the Cowal Highland Gathering for non Dunoonites). However does anyone know if it is correct that Andy put the words to it, what is the correct name of the tune and have you ever heard anyone else singing it. The 'words' can be found by googling and there's a sample of AS singing it on Amazon.

Anne

[Pandabean]

Anne,
The only song that springs to mind is one done by Runrig. Fields of Olden Glory. I think thats the full name.

Not sure if that is the one you are looking for.

Andy

[JimM]

Hi Anne
Spooky
I was listening to that very tune today (the Andy Stewart song)
It's based on "The Black Bear" (a reference to the bearskin bonnet worn by soldiers?)
Jim

[AnneM]

Hi Jim

Genetics are a scary thing are they not! I think I'm just going to do the traditional method of raking through the CDs in Virgin or HMV to see if there is another recording. I never knew that was the name of the pipe tune.

I had excellent fun looking at all the details of the CDs on Amazon from the 60s and 70s, the heyday of 'old fashioned' Scottish 'folk' music. It certainly took me back to Saturday nights watching the White Heather Club........Kenneth McKellar and Moira Anderson complete with operatic delivery, before everything became very truly folksy, authentic and gaelic.

Anne

[HeatherH]

Hello Anne,
Back in 2004 there was a post on this same topic. It took me a while to find the info on the song ( couldn't find the original post as its lost back in the days when I was reduced to "Guest" while Dave sloan and I tried to sort one of my many snafus. At any rate here are the words and the info on the song "Tunes of Glory " or "The Old Black Bear"

(1) When the pipes are ringing
And the kilts are swinging
And your heart is singing
As you gaily march along;
You can hear the story
That is brave and gory
In the tunes of glory
Of that old Scots song.

(2) If you're standing near them
And you ever hear them
You will also cheer them
As you feel the gloried air,
Because the rhythm fills you
And the drumbeat wills you
And the music thrills you
Of the Old Black Bear

CHORUS:
Brave are the honours we carry before us,
Brave are the hearts that we lift in the chorus,
Hear them playing, hear them saying,
That's the story in the Tunes of Glory

HMV POP 824 (UK.1961). Entered the bottom of the charts at no. 44 in February 1961, as the theme to the war film "Tunes of Glory" starring Alec Guinness. A brief clip of Black Bear is included on the LP "A Sound Memorial to Radio Scotland 242" Scotia Records SCO242 (Oct 1967), credited as a traditional Scots song, although no artiste is given. As the album showcases "Scotia" records artistes it pressumedly an arrangement by one of them. There is also a vocal version of the track Tunes of Glory by Andy Stewart and the Frank Cordell Orchestra Top Rank Int’ JAR 1961

Hope this helps.
Happy Hunting,
HeatherH

[AnneM]

Hi Heather

That's a good song but a different one from one I was thinking of. It has a chorus which goes something like "March no more my soldier laddie, There is peace where there once was war. Sleep in peace my soldier laddie. Sleep in peace now the battle's o'er." and it's very sad.

The words are on the internet as is the pipe tune but there's no indication of who wrote them or any sign of anyone recording it recently.

Thanks

Anne

PS Anyone remember that the Old Black Bear was the theme tune of the pirate radio station Radio Scotland in the 1960s and early 70s? It also had a little jingle which went "Radio Scotland playing just for you. So beat the ban and join the clan on Station 242." Showing my age again!!!

[HeatherH]

The Battle's O'er

I returned to the fields of glory,
Where the green grasses and flowers grow.
And the wind softly tells the story,
Of the brave lads of long ago.

March no more my soldier laddie,
There is peace where there once was war.
Sleep in peace my soldier laddie,
Sleep in peace, now the battle's over.

In the great glen they lay a sleeping,
Where the cool waters gently flow.
And the gray mist is sadly weeping,
For those brave lads of long ago.

See the tall grass is there awaiting,
As their banners of long ago.
With their heads high forward threading,
Stepping lightly to meet the foe


We used to listen to it on an Andy Stewart record when I was wee.( Not that I'm very tall now )

All the Best,
HeatherH

[StewL]

Heather

No bad hen for a Nova Stotian who says she has made a few snafu's in the past. LMAOROTF