This tune is traditionally played at funerals, particularly military ones. It was played at my Dad's funeral, and my brother's - and I have stipulated it as one of the Laments I would like to be played at my own! It is seldom sung, it is usually played by a lone piper.
IT commemorates Culloden.
THE FLO'OERS O THE FOREST
I've heard them liltin', At the ewe milkin,' Lasses a-liltin' before dawn of day. Now there's a moanin', On ilka green loanin'. The flowers of the forest are a' wede away.
As boughts in the mornin', Nae blithe lads are scornin', Lasses are lonely and dowie and wae. Nae daffin', nae gabbin', But sighin' and sobbin', Ilk ane lifts her leglin, and hies her away.
At e'en in the gloamin', Nae swankies are roamin', 'Mang stacks wi' the lasses at bogle to play. But ilk maid sits drearie, Lamentin' her dearie, The flowers of the forest are a' wede away.
In har'st at the shearin' Nae youths now are jeerin' Bandsters are runkled, and lyart, or grey. At fair or at preachin', Nae wooin', nae fleecin', The flowers of the forest are a' wede away.
Dool for the order Sent our lads to the Border, The English for ance by guile wan the day. The flowers of the forest, That fought aye the foremost, The prime of our land lie cauld in the clay.
We'll hae nae mair liltin', At the ewe milkin', Women and bairns are dowie and wae. Sighin' and moanin' On ilka green loanin', The flowers of the forest are all wede away.
This is the tune that I usually played when I was hired to pipe for a funeral. It is also the tune always played by the lone piper at all veteran's memorial services.
So I knew I recognized it once I started humming it to the words....along with Amazing Grace upon the pipes would be lovely as a funeal selection....also sorry for any loss of kindred.
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Come in ....out of the darkness, so that yer heart may sing God's praises!
Chorus: Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly, did they sound the dead-march as they lowered you down. And did the band play the Last post and chorus. Did the pipes play the 'Flowers of the forest'.
Dool for the order Sent our lads to the Border, The English for ance by guile wan the day. The flowers of the forest, That fought aye the foremost, The prime of our land lie cauld in the clay.
Steve McDonald has a song entitled 'Fallen Flowers'. It is off his 'Stone of Destiny' CD. Inside the CD cover, he talks about how it is said in Scottish mythology, that those who fell in battle would return as 'Flowers in the Forest'. How often, it happened, that many a young mother's son was cut down in his prime during the honor of battle. Now I know where he got the inspiration.
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"...so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
The morning after the battle... Left are only the dead and dying... With only the occasional pauper looting the bodies, A young man, not much more than a boy lies mortally wounded, Staring into the sky, his life flashes before him, and near that moment of death he cries out for his mother's embrace
Amidst his pain, she hears, and amidst her tears, he feels.
'Fallen Flowers'
There on a misty morning, the sun slowly rise After the Battle of Halidon Hill There lies her youngest son, tears in his eyes Wounded and dying she hears him still.
Ma, if I could live my life again If I could call the world my friend If I could write the stories end (I would) I would give all these things in vain To feel you hold me once again.
A smile comes to his face An uneasy calm In front of him, his life flashes by Amidst his boyish charms, he feels his mother's arms In that painless moment, he hears her cry.
Son, if I could roll back the years If I could see through these tears If I could face all of my fears (I would) Just to hold you once again.
Remember me forever I'll be here forever Please forget me never I'll be here forever
If I could roll back the years If I could see through these tears If I could face all my fears And, if I could live my life again If I could call the world my friend If I could write the stories end. (I would) To live a thousand years of pain Just to hold you once again.
It is heartwrenching - but it is a wonderful song, thank you for sharing.
Well, I've only got sons...it reminds me what really is essential in my life and how rich I am having them!
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"Now here's my secret", said the fox, "it is very simple. It is only with ones heart that one can see clearly. What is essential is invisible to the eye."
("The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
"The soul would have no rainbow, if the eye had no tears." (Native American Proverb)
I am kind of partial to the song myself. I spent over 4 years in the service and lost several good friends. But the music and the melody that goes with the lyrics....one really ought to hear it. McDonald is really good at reaching out and touching you with his music.
Ranger, I'm awfully sorry you had to make this sort of experience which I hope my sons will never have to!
But you are absolutely right that one has to hear the song ... I did so and it gave me the creeps. Thank's for that hint. By the way, I bought the CD...
Thank's for that hint. By the way, I bought the CD...
- joy
Great. I think you will enjoy it. He's got another one entitled 'Sons of Somerled'. His music and CD's are kind of unique in that they also give all sorts of trivia/history info. Glad you liked it. You'd think I get kickbacks from the way I promote him, huh?
Steve McDonald has a song entitled 'Fallen Flowers'. It is off his 'Stone of Destiny' CD. Inside the CD cover, he talks about how it is said in Scottish mythology, that those who fell in battle would return as 'Flowers in the Forest'. How often, it happened, that many a young mother's son was cut down in his prime during the honor of battle. Now I know where he got the inspiration.
Can you eloborate on this myth for me?
Part of my novel is the story of a young American woman who send her Scottish husband off to fight in the War to End All Wars...... Needless to say when dealing with a conflict best known for its sheer butchery of human life, not all who saw the horrors lived to be old men.
What does the myth mean by 'Flowers of the Forest'? Is it literal like the Greek flower myths that the dead return as a flower, or is it more metaphoric? That those who died on the battle fields remain ever alive within the memories of those they left behind, like the flowers blooming evry spring?
Is this a recorded myth or more an underlying belief that is spoken through song and story?
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Compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling what it is like inside somebody else's skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too. - Frederick Buechner
If society prospers at the expense of the intangibles, how can it be called progress?
-LLP
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