...that man to man, the world o'er, shall brithers be for a' that

It’s at this time of year that the hearts and minds of many Scots turn affectionately to the national bard, Robert Burns.
For those not familiar, Burns was a poet, songwriter and collector of songs.
Born in Ayrshire on 25th January 1759 he was a prolific poet and song writer, his legacy all the more impressive when you consider it only spanned some fifteen years until his death aged 37.
It is true that Burns also collected songs, set his own lyrics to established melodies and changed the lyrics pretty much to suit himself – nowadays we’d call that plagiarism but, in the days before recording and my Space, it was crucial to the folk tradition that songs were handed down, collected and preserved.
Burns contributed immensely to this by providing hundreds of works for publications such as the Scots Musical Museum.
A certain young Mr. Zimmerman would foster similar attitudes in the early 1960s.
Like Dylan, for many people, Scots or otherwise, Burns is a saintly, untouchable hero of unwavering integrity.
To others he is seen as a drunken philanderer, a user and abuser of women and a radical who cared little for anyone other than himself.

For me, the jury is out.

True – Burns may have been all of the above but the same could be said of many national heroes, ancient and modern.
All of this though, along with the currently raging debate over slavery and racist claims, is surely irrelevant.
Yes, he was on the brink of setting out to Jamaica for a post on a plantation in 1786 but, driven by the spectre of poverty and the attentions of the church, who could argue over his desire to make a new start. It hardly makes him KKK material.

Whatever else he may have thought or done, in truth, it is for his poetry and songs that we remember Robert Burns (even though it is in a strange, haggisy, tartan and shortbread tin, Scottie dog kind of way).

It’s no surprise that when we think of Jimmy Page we think of monster riffs and his low slung guitar playing style.
When we think of Jerry Lee Lewis, we think of Great balls of Fire and his inimitable piano playing style.
When we think of Johnny Cash we think of the low drawl and playing to Folsom Prison and San Quentin.

Why then anyone should think of Burns as a potential slave baron is a mystery but, what I find even more puzzling, and a little amusing, is the way that an article written in yesterday’s Sunday press can spark such a wave of outrage.

Sure, the tone of the article was inflammatory and could have said anything about anyone but, for those who didn’t like reading it... you know, the paper works the same as the TV... you can always stop reading or flip over to the sports pages.
For me, the fifty or so on-line comments posted against this article can only serve as some form of gratification to the journalist and the writer of the paper being commented on, knowing that they have touched a nerve.
Why give them that level of satisfaction?
Better to think "well, f4ck you" and leave no comment at all.
Maybe then it would be clear what sad and sorry individuals the journalist and the so called 'Burns expert' really are.

I would like to think that maybe Burns would have had this same dismissive attitude to his critics and maybe too would have proclaimed, enough of such folly – bring on the music...

Always good for a contemporary spin on Burns are Dougie MacLean and Eddi Reader –

Dougie MacLean - Indigenous
http://rapidshare.com/files/85426885/Indigenous.rar

Dougie MacLean - Tribute
http://rapidshare.com/files/85420453/Tribute.rar

Dougie MacLean - Real Estate
http://rapidshare.com/files/85413545/Real_Estate.rar

Eddi Rearer - The Songs Of Robert Burns
http://rapidshare.com/files/85538229/Eddi_Reader_-_Sings_the_Songs_of_Robert_Burns__Japan_Bonus_Track_.rar

Moving on, another classic Dylan bootleg…
Bob Dylan – Songs For Bonnie
http://rapidshare.com/files/75031165/bonnie_1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/75036350/bonnie_2.rar

The Waterboys – This is the Sea (Disc 2) no point in posting disc 1 as everyone has that…
http://rapidshare.com/files/83093195/This_Is_The_Sea__Disc_2__pt1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/83100133/This_Is_The_Sea__Disc_2__pt2.rar

…bit of tenuous Waterboys link here…
Lunasa - Se
http://rapidshare.com/files/78259973/S_.rar

for no reason other than I just stumbled across this – isn’t Crash just a classic piece of pop…
The Primitives - Lovely
http://rapidshare.com/files/81333865/Lovely.rar

Containing what is my favourite Jackson Browne song…
Jackson Browne - I'm Alive
http://rapidshare.com/files/81338524/I_m_Alive.rar

A true classic – anyone who has watched a relative grow old or seen an episode of Still Game will identify with Hermless…
Michael Marra – On Stolen Stationery http://rapidshare.com/files/81342522/On_Stolen_Stationery.rar

To keep the King Creosote thing going…
The Fence Collective – Let’s Get This Ship On the Road
Removed by request

To keep the McKenzies thing going...
Goodbye Mr Mackenzie - Five
http://rapidshare.com/files/81424704/Five.rar

and to keep the Rivertecs thing going…
The River Detectives – Elvis Has Left he Building
http://rapidshare.com/files/81404101/Elvis_Has_Left_The_Building.rar