‘Tis Robbie Burns Day today, in honour of the heartfelt and cheeky Scottish poet and songwriter from the 18th century. He was a prolific writer and collector of songs who published well and thus left us with a substantial œuvre – the Complete Works of Robert Burns is 12 volumes. It has been a delight to learn a couple of his songs in the last year. The poetry is beautifully crafted, conjuring images of old Scotland and broken hearts in a remarkably relatable way. The melodies and chords are simple yet still tug at the emotions quietly and powerfully.
Here is Eddi Reader’s version of Ae Fond Kiss, expertly straddling the gap between the 18th and 21st centuries.
https://youtu.be/RMmtBgMaF5I?si=QOutLRm2J6gDuDZr

page of 18th century handwriting by Robert Burns
An extract in Robbie’s hand from his ‘First Commonplace Book’ from 1783