Designed & produced by Eric Maclewis
© ericdentinger.com
2008-2024
La tua danza si leggiera (Guglielmo Tell)
A Scottish Soldier
(Andy Stewart)
There was a soldier, a Scottish soldier
Who wandered far away and soldiered far away
There was none bolder with good broad shoulder
He'd fought in many a fray and fought and won
He'd seen the glory, he told the story
Of battles glorious and deeds victorious
But now he's sighing, his heart is crying
To leave those green hills of Tyrol
Because those green hills are not Highland hills
Or the Island hills, they're not my lands hills
And fair as these green foreign hills may be
They are not the hills of home
And now the soldier, the Scottish soldier
Who wandered far away and soldiered far away
Sees leaves are falling and death is calling
And he will fade away in that far land
He called his piper, his trusty piper
And bade him sound alay a pibroch sad to play
Upon a hillside but Scottish hillside
Not on those green hills of Tyrol
Because those green hills...
And now this soldier, this Scottish soldier
Will wander far no more and soldier far no more
And on a hillside, a Scottish hillside
You'll see that piper play his soldier home
He's seen the glory, he's told the story
Of battles glorious and deeds victorious
The bugles cease now, he is at peace now
Far from those green hills of Tyrol
Because those green hills...
The Green Hills Of Tyrol - A Scottish Soldier
The Green Hills Of Tyrol could be a tune coming from Tyrol but it was more certainly written by Rossini in Il Viaggio a Reims (1825) and William Tell (1829), perhaps based on a popular folk dance of this time.
The melody will be adapted for bagpipe by Pipe Major John MacLeod (93rd Sutherland Highlanders) in 1854 during the Crimean War, after he heard it played by a military band from Sardinia.
No borders for music...
There is a small debate about beginning the score on the 1st or 3rd beat (anacrusis): I choosed the second option in order to play it with Killworth Hills and also because this kind of start seems to be included in the melody and in the song version.
A tempo of 86 fits well to the tune, particularly with the other Retreat airs from my repertoire.
The lyrics published as A Scottish Soldier are from Andy Stewart (1933-1993).
NB: regarding these Retreat Airs, we must keep in mind that they are not supposed to be played in the middle of a battle : they are part of military rituals in camp, e.g. for marking the end of the day duties and the beginning of the night ones.
LYRICS
- score written by Eric Maclewis with CelticPipes
RETREAT AIR