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Music and songs mentioned in the McAuslan stories

Polyethyl

Old Salt
Recently I was trapped on holiday with my family, so re-read McAuslan. A lot of songs get mentioned and they are very varied. Marches (obviously) but also gaelic lullabies, Psalms, dance tunes, barrack room ditties, Pibroch.... quite a fun mix.
So if anyone else is interested I wrote this list....

Ash grove
Fred karno's army
Jonnie Cope
Massacre of Macpherson
The lum hat wantin the croon
Heart of oak
Black bear
We're no awa' to bide awa'
I belong to Glasgow
The ball of kirriemuir
Battle of the somme
The battle of the spoiled dyke
The 23rd psalm
Bless em all
Oh dear what can the matter be
Hovan hovan gorriago
Mucking of geordie's byre
Piper findlater
Cock o the north
Haughs o cromdale
Bonnie dundee
Lovats lament
Roll out the barrel
The barren rocks of aden
The 79th farewell to Gibraltar
The burning sands of Egypt
The desert song (blue heaven and you and i)
White cockade
Flowers of the forest
Highland laddie
Braes of mar
Too long in this condition
Wha'll be king but cherlie
Mingulay boat song
"McAuslan's parody of the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo"
Don't fence me in
Cuddle up a little closer baby mine
Crimmond
Hand me down my walking cane
In the mood
Kishmuls galley
Macgregor's gathering
I've got spurs that jingle jangle jingle
One eyed riley
The riff song from the film desert song
Coronach
Because (by tauber)
Bless this house
I'm only a wandering vagabond
Watch the wall my darling while the gentlemen go by.

Does anyone want to make a playlist of that lot?
 
A fair list considering he only wrote three fairly short books, which I have read several times (and laughed every time) yet did not appreciate the amount of music that was mentioned.
 
A fair list considering he only wrote three fairly short books, which I have read several times (and laughed every time) yet did not appreciate the amount of music that was mentioned.

Aye... and recognized remarkably similar characters in oor ain regiments in the 1960s and 70s!

XXV!
 
I recently asked granddaughter (9) what she thought of bagpipes. Blank. Alexa, play Black Bear.
Found [some sh¡te that in the modern world classes as "music"].
sigh Alexa stop.
Alexa play Black Bear on bagpipes.
found [same sh¡te].
Sigh Alexa stop.
Alexa play Black Bear by the Pipes and Drums of the Black Watch.
Guess?
Alexa, don't bother.
sorry I don't understand.

EDit. Memo to self. Dig out The Complete McAuslan for holiday.
 
Last edited:
I recently asked granddaughter (9) what she thought of bagpipes. Blank. Alexa, play Black Bear.
Found [some sh¡te that in the modern world classes as "music"].
sigh Alexa stop.
Alexa play Black Bear on bagpipes.
found [same sh¡te].
Sigh Alexa stop.
Alexa play Black Bear by the Pipes and Drums of the Black Watch.
Guess?
Alexa, don't bother.
sorry I don't understand.

That's depressing. I hope you found a good version and your granddaughter was suitably impressed!
 
I recently asked granddaughter (9) what she thought of bagpipes. Blank. Alexa, play Black Bear.
Found [some sh¡te that in the modern world classes as "music"].
sigh Alexa stop.
Alexa play Black Bear on bagpipes.
found [same sh¡te].
Sigh Alexa stop.
Alexa play Black Bear by the Pipes and Drums of the Black Watch.
Guess?
Alexa, don't bother.
sorry I don't understand.

But could Alexa find a version of 'Johny Cope' played by 'Foden's Motor Works Brass Band'?
 
I've struggled to find a decent version of Black Bear, that isn't an amateur recording and that does have marching soldiers that shout.
Try this
 
I've struggled to find a decent version of Black Bear, that isn't an amateur recording and that does have marching soldiers that shout.
Try this

Amateur filming, yes, but it is good to see a grand Royal Scot, dressed as such with the exception of cap badge, leading the Massed P&D off the esplanade. Black Bear follows Scotland the Brave.

 
Recently I was trapped on holiday with my family, so re-read McAuslan. A lot of songs get mentioned and they are very varied. Marches (obviously) but also gaelic lullabies, Psalms, dance tunes, barrack room ditties, Pibroch.... quite a fun mix.
So if anyone else is interested I wrote this list....

Ash grove
Fred karno's army
Jonnie Cope
Massacre of Macpherson
The lum hat wantin the croon
Heart of oak
Black bear
We're no awa' to bide awa'
I belong to Glasgow
The ball of kirriemuir
Battle of the somme
The battle of the spoiled dyke
The 23rd psalm
Bless em all
Oh dear what can the matter be
Hovan hovan gorriago
Mucking of geordie's byre
Piper findlater
Cock o the north
Haughs o cromdale
Bonnie dundee
Lovats lament
Roll out the barrel
The barren rocks of aden
The 79th farewell to Gibraltar
The burning sands of Egypt
The desert song (blue heaven and you and i)
White cockade
Flowers of the forest
Highland laddie
Braes of mar
Too long in this condition
Wha'll be king but cherlie
Mingulay boat song
"McAuslan's parody of the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo"
Don't fence me in
Cuddle up a little closer baby mine
Crimmond
Hand me down my walking cane
In the mood
Kishmuls galley
Macgregor's gathering
I've got spurs that jingle jangle jingle
One eyed riley
The riff song from the film desert song
Coronach
Because (by tauber)
Bless this house
I'm only a wandering vagabond
Watch the wall my darling while the gentlemen go by.

Does anyone want to make a playlist of that lot?

No, but you've written a great found poem.
 

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