The Bell by Stephan Smith is one of the most powerful songs I've heard for a while. Smith's website includes MP3s, video and other formats. Pete Seeger's voice is a distinct counterpoint—nearly background. Howard Zinn's comments and Seeger's note make me feel in very good company with my enthusiasm for this song.

(I'll be adding links to these for additional information later)

Jenny Armstrong--Flight of the Eaglets (McRobert's Lament)/Waging Peace from Dancing in the Circle (1995)

Pretty new--as my favorites go: This begins with a lament on the Great Highland Pipes for Lady McRobert who lost three sons in WWII--the pipes fade then move into the intent martial drumbeat of Jenny's Waging Peace (for our children).

For a list of Jennifer's other recordings and booking information, you can e-mail Jennifer at jarmsong@aol.com.

I've also got a link to her short bio. -- from a past "notice" from my Kiosk page.

Eric Bogle--No Man's Land (subtitled The Green Fields of France) and The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
from Scraps of Paper (1983) Flying Fish Records.

No Man's Land is probably my absolute favorite song--of any genre. No piping, but I think these are probably the top two anti-War songs of all time. Celtic or no.

Both songs below look at the killing in Northern Ireland--"The House of Orange" from the emigrant's eyes and "There Were Roses" from even closer to the heart.

Stan Rogers--The House of Orange from From Fresh Water (1984) Fogarty's Cove & Cole Harbour Music, Ltd. The last cut on Stan Rogers' last album. (with Northumbrian smallpipes).

There Were Roses written by Tommy Sands (If you can listen to this without crying you are not stoned, you are stone.) A wonderful cover of the song by Moloney/Kean/O'Connell (with Liz Carroll) from There Were Roses (1986) Green Linnet Records--this version is also included on Green Linnet's 20th Anniversary album.

Song Searches

My father's first cousin Isabel (or Liz) has been looking for a recording of or sheet music for the song below for some time now. Her mother's older sister learned the song from a suitor - a Canadian soldier stationed in Scotland during WWI. I have checked around the online music databases, although I haven't posted to any newsgroups yet. Until I decide which newsgroups to invade, I'll give the lyrics a home here, in case someone in search of the words stumbles across my little archipelago of pages.

Emigrant's Dream

Far away o'er the lonesome prairie,
Far away o'er the dazzling snow,
Far away o'er the lone horizon,
No others come or go.
'Tis after a hard day's marching,
My weary steps I stay,
As I task the joys of camping,
This night by the Hudson Bay.

As I lie by the log fire burning,
Watching the embers fade.
I see the map of Scotland,
In snow, in light, in shadow,
I see the map of Scotland,
And the land that gave me birth.
And I think, with all its failings,
'Tis the fairest land on earth.

And I dream a dream of Scotland,
Oh would it last 'til morn,
I see the little Shieling,
By the burn, where I was born.
At eve I linger coming home,
To gather brambles wild,
And in my fancy's vision,
I am once again a child.

And I listen to the music,
Of the mountain and the ----
The ---- of the curlew,
The deep croaking of the raven,
And the moaning of the gale,
And in fancy I am roaming.
O'er the mountains of -----.

(That's all I have of the lyrics)

Write me if you have any additional info. I have to pull up a good deal of info and add links to what I've got. But for now.

Peace, happy 1996.

Elizabeth Fraser (aka bookbeast)

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