Happy Burns Day!
Just a quick note really to wish everyone a happy Burns Day! 250 years today since his birth! I think most folk know about Burns, but on the off chance anyone doesn't, have a Wiki link. ;) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burns
I love Burns Day, the family will be round later for haggis (gotta love those organs, mm), and some singing and what not. :)
I remember in school once I had to recite the whole of Tam O' Shanter for a play. I remembered it all at the time, although I'm ashamed to say I've forgotten some of the verses now and have to pull out my book if I want to go through the whole thing. (In my defence, it has 224 lines!)
Anyway, I just wanted to post a link to a version of 'For A' That and A' That' (a.k.a 'A Man's a Man') which is, I believe, Burns most well known song after Auld Lang Syne. (I might well be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it's one of the more well known ones).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOBcFt5tevY
FOR A' THAT AND A' THAT
Is there, for honest poverty,
That hangs his head, and a' that?
The coward-slave, we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a' that!
For a' that, and a' that;
Our toils obscure, and a' that;
The rank is but the guinea stamp;
The man's the gowd for a' that.
What tho' on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hodden-grey and a' that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine,
A man's a man for a' that.
For a' that, and a' that,
Their tinsel show, and a' that;
The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor,
Is King o' men for a' that.
Ye see yon birkie, ca'd a lord,
Wha struts, and stares, and a' that;
Tho' hundreds worship at his word,
He's but a coof for a' that:
For a' that, and a' tht,
His riband, star and a' that,
The man of independent mind,
He looks and laughs at a' that.
A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke and a' that;
But an honest man's aboon his might,
Guid faith he mauna fa' that!
For a' that, and a' that,
Their dignities, and a' that,
The pith o' sense, and pride o' worth,
Are higher rank than a' that.
Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a' that;
That sense and worth, o'er a' the earth,
May bear the gree, and a' that.
For a' that and a' that,
It's coming yet, for a' that,
That man to man the warld o'er
Shall brothers be for a' that.
And (just because I think a lot of these lyrics are often missed when it's sung), a quick rendition of Auld Lang Syne:
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to min'?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear.
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pu'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary foot
Sin' auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidled i' the burn,
From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.
And there's a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o' thine;
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine;
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
I love Burns Day, the family will be round later for haggis (gotta love those organs, mm), and some singing and what not. :)
I remember in school once I had to recite the whole of Tam O' Shanter for a play. I remembered it all at the time, although I'm ashamed to say I've forgotten some of the verses now and have to pull out my book if I want to go through the whole thing. (In my defence, it has 224 lines!)
Anyway, I just wanted to post a link to a version of 'For A' That and A' That' (a.k.a 'A Man's a Man') which is, I believe, Burns most well known song after Auld Lang Syne. (I might well be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it's one of the more well known ones).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOBcFt5tevY
FOR A' THAT AND A' THAT
Is there, for honest poverty,
That hangs his head, and a' that?
The coward-slave, we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a' that!
For a' that, and a' that;
Our toils obscure, and a' that;
The rank is but the guinea stamp;
The man's the gowd for a' that.
What tho' on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hodden-grey and a' that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine,
A man's a man for a' that.
For a' that, and a' that,
Their tinsel show, and a' that;
The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor,
Is King o' men for a' that.
Ye see yon birkie, ca'd a lord,
Wha struts, and stares, and a' that;
Tho' hundreds worship at his word,
He's but a coof for a' that:
For a' that, and a' tht,
His riband, star and a' that,
The man of independent mind,
He looks and laughs at a' that.
A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke and a' that;
But an honest man's aboon his might,
Guid faith he mauna fa' that!
For a' that, and a' that,
Their dignities, and a' that,
The pith o' sense, and pride o' worth,
Are higher rank than a' that.
Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a' that;
That sense and worth, o'er a' the earth,
May bear the gree, and a' that.
For a' that and a' that,
It's coming yet, for a' that,
That man to man the warld o'er
Shall brothers be for a' that.
And (just because I think a lot of these lyrics are often missed when it's sung), a quick rendition of Auld Lang Syne:
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to min'?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear.
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pu'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary foot
Sin' auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidled i' the burn,
From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.
And there's a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o' thine;
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine;
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.