Check out the new feature on this site. I found a great website called, Pandora. The site offers a chance to listen to artists who sound similar to the ones you like. I put a few tunes to the right for you to check out. However, if you like the Pandora site, I suggest you sign up. It's free and it offers great music while you work.
I enjoy Maire Brennan and create a channel with similar artists. I also like David Gray and his music cared me through many a long walk.
I'll keep putting up different tunes with Scottish overtones. It will put you in the mood for Scottish things.
Here's a list of some of the more influential rock bands. I am sure you know one or two.
** CLICK ON THEIR PICTURE FOR MORE INFO **
Big Country Big Tune: "In a Big Country"
NAZARETH
Big tune: "Love Hurts"
Simple Minds
Big Tune: "Don't you (Forget About Me)
Teenage Fanclub
Big Tune: Fallin'
The Proclaimers
Big Tune:
"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"
Franz Ferdinand
Big Tune : "Take Me Out"
If you want to see how far we've come with music videos check out Big Country's video below from 1983...whew, we thought it rocked back in the day....you can check out some Scottish landscape in the video...check it out!!
For those who forgot who is Nazareth, here is a concert video. It will come back to you.
Same Old Lang Syne...or is it Auld Lang Syne? Well Robbie Burns wrote the famous poem that was turned into song that everyone sings on New Years Eve. And did you know that New Year's in Scotland is called Hogmanany? There are many traditions involved in the Hogmanany celebration. The first to cross the threshold after midnight brings a bottle of whisky and a piece of coal. It's called First Footing...
What is First Footing? Traditionally, it has been held that your new year will be a prosperous one if, at the strike of midnight, a "tall, dark stranger" appears at your door with a lump of coal for the fire, or a cake or coin. In exchange, you offered him food, wine or a wee dram of whisky, or the traditional Het Pint, which is a combination of ale, nutmeg and whisky. It's been sugggested that the fear associated with blond strangers arose from the memory of blond-haired Viking’s raping and pillaging Scotland circa 4th to 12th centuries. What's more likely to happen these days is that groups of friends or family get together and do a tour of each others' houses. Each year, a household takes it in turn to provide a meal for the group. In many parts of Scotland gifts or "Hogmananys" are exchanged after the turn of midnight.
We'll have more on Hogmanany for sure but right now the difference between Dan Fogelberg's Same Old Lang Syne and Robbie Burns Auld Lang Syne.
She's the best. Her voice is better than her sister's (Enya) and her music conveys the spirit I felt at the Isle of Iona. She is a muse of the celtic spirit unlike any other in this list. She is the one you need to hear first.
You can call me what you wish, some call me Kilty.
Originally, I had a blog on 360 Yahoo which contained 455 entries and had 73,000 hits...then one day poof...Yahoo went somewhere to work on bigger and better things and my blog disappeared into oblivion. So, I started this blog.
I spent last year in Scotland pursuing a PhD. I'm back in the States attempting to continue my studies after a family tragedy prevents me returning to Scotland. I miss Scotland. In my travels I learned a lot about the country and what Americans need to know. Hopefully, this site can help you better understand Scotland and how to maximize your travels.
If you have any feelings for anything Scottish, this is the place to go.
Check out my blog everyday...I update it every morning (US time).
Join in the fun. I hope I don't disappoint.
