:00:07. > :00:14.255 years ago, and approximately 40 miles in that direction, Robert
:00:15. > :00:20.Burns, Scotland's favourite son, an unofficial national poet was born in
:00:21. > :00:25.a small Ayrshire village. Tonight, people across the globe are coming
:00:26. > :00:30.together to accept bait his poetry and song on Burns' Night. Welcome to
:00:31. > :00:32.a Celtic Connections Burns and the Commonwealth concertment
:00:33. > :00:43.-- concert. Good evening, welcome to the SSE
:00:44. > :00:46.Hydroin Glasgow, whereas part of Celtic Connections, a fantastic line
:00:47. > :00:50.up of musicians from around the world, including South Africa,
:00:51. > :00:54.Australia, India, Cyprus and of course, Scotland, will Join Together
:00:55. > :00:57.with the royal Scottish national orchestra to celebrate Burns and the
:00:58. > :01:03.Commonwealth. It promises to be a very special night of music, in
:01:04. > :01:06.honour of a special man. From his poetry inspired bit Scottish
:01:07. > :01:10.landscape to protest songs and of course, many love songs, Robert
:01:11. > :01:15.Burns has become known and loved throughout the world. His legacy of
:01:16. > :01:19.over 550 works has been translated into almost every written language.
:01:20. > :01:32.Tonight, we will be bringing you some of those songs. First on stage,
:01:33. > :01:50.celebrating their 30th anniversary, Scotland's own Capercaillie.
:01:51. > :02:05.# There was a lass and she was fair # At the market to be seen
:02:06. > :02:12.# When all the fairest maids were met
:02:13. > :02:19.# The flower of them bonnie Jane. Aye, she brought her contriwork and
:02:20. > :02:30.she sang it joyfully # The bonniest bird upon the bush
:02:31. > :02:41.# Had never a lighter heart than she # But hawks will rob the tender joys
:02:42. > :02:46.# The blessed whiteness # Frost of light on the fairest
:02:47. > :02:55.flower # Love will break the soundest rest
:02:56. > :03:04.# For she met a young lad # The pride of all his Glenn
:03:05. > :03:21.# # And
:03:22. > :04:56.# What could helpness Jeanie do # She had no-one to tell her no
:04:57. > :05:59.# At length she blushed # And love was between them
:06:00. > :06:06.APPLAUSE Thank you very much.
:06:07. > :06:11.More from Capercaillie later. Now to an artist who has always been a
:06:12. > :06:15.great admirer of the poetry of Burns and is the grandson of a shepherd
:06:16. > :06:20.says the lyric to the next son really resonates to him. Here is
:06:21. > :07:15.Dougie MacLean. Ca' the yowes. Tae the knowes. Ca'
:07:16. > :07:31.them whare the heather grows. Ca' them whare the burnie rowes. My
:07:32. > :07:40.bonnie dearie. Hark, the mavis' evening song. Sounding Clouden's
:07:41. > :07:53.woods among. Then a-faulding let us gang. My bonnie dearie. We'll gae
:07:54. > :09:54.doon by Clouden site. # Fair and lovely as thou art.
:09:55. > :10:05.# You hae stown my very heart. I can die, but canna part.
:10:06. > :10:16.# # My bonnie dearie.
:10:17. > :10:26.# Ca' the yowes. # tae the knowes.
:10:27. > :10:31.# Ca' them whare the heather grows. # Ca' them whare the burnie rowes.
:10:32. > :11:22.# My bonnie dearie. # APPLAUSE
:11:23. > :11:28.Earlier, Capercaillie opened the concert tonight with their rendition
:11:29. > :11:33.of bonnie Jane. I'm joined now by the maestro and Donald Show. Why is
:11:34. > :11:36.it that Robert Burns resonates so strongly with an international
:11:37. > :11:40.audience? I think he was a man of the people and a poet of the people.
:11:41. > :11:44.I think within his poetry, he has all the big themes of life and love
:11:45. > :11:48.and humanity and equality. On top of that, the greatest melodies the
:11:49. > :11:53.world has ever heard. There's a lot to love about him. Thanks very much.
:11:54. > :11:55.Next on stage, Raghu Dixit comes all the way from Bangalore in India,
:11:56. > :12:07.with his unique style of folk music. Before that, his own tribute to
:12:08. > :12:11.burns buns and the Indian poet he inspired.
:12:12. > :12:17.-- Burns. So I heard today is a very special day, remembering the great
:12:18. > :12:20.poet of this land, Robert Burns. There's a very strong India
:12:21. > :12:28.connection with Robert Burns, the fact that it inspired the national
:12:29. > :12:33.poet of India. He wrote the National Anthem of India. He was so inspired
:12:34. > :12:39.by Robert Burns' poetry that he travelled in search of that man into
:12:40. > :12:44.this land. He looked for him and got inspired and he translated most of
:12:45. > :12:49.his work in Bengali so Indians could get a taste of Robert Burns, so that
:12:50. > :12:52.way, it's such a great testimonial that it doesn't really matter where
:12:53. > :12:56.you're born, what race you are, what colour you are, it just takes a few
:12:57. > :13:01.words of kindness to make this world a beautiful place to live in.
:13:02. > :18:00.APPLAUSE CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
:18:01. > :18:03.As Scots travelled they took Burns with them, shaping the culture and
:18:04. > :18:11.music of nations across the world, including Australia. Here now from
:18:12. > :18:15.Melbourne, the award-winning, Matreo.
:18:16. > :18:57.This is John Anderson. # When we were first acquent
:18:58. > :19:02.# Your locks were like the raven # Your bonnie brow was Brent
:19:03. > :19:13.# But now your brow is beld, John # Your locks are like the snaw
:19:14. > :19:36.# But blessings on your frosty pow, # John Anderson, my jo.
:19:37. > :19:53.# John Anderson, myjo, # We climb the hill thegither
:19:54. > :20:02.# And mony a cantieday, John # We've had wianeanither
:20:03. > :20:11.# Now we mauntotter down, John # And hand in hand, we'll go
:20:12. > :20:19.# And sleep thegither at the foot # John Anderson, my jo.
:20:20. > :20:29.# John Anderson, my jo. #
:20:30. > :20:46.APPLAUSE Burns' poetry and song crosses
:20:47. > :20:50.continents and borders. Here is a platinum-selling artist from Cyprus.
:20:51. > :20:59.When did I first hear about Robert Burns? I had heard his name before,
:21:00. > :21:04.but I came closer to his poetry through another poet you have here
:21:05. > :21:10.and a great artist. She introduced me to Robert Burns' poetry. That was
:21:11. > :21:16.something very special for me, because I found a poet who is also a
:21:17. > :21:20.song writer and he used to be a singer, of course. I feel very much
:21:21. > :21:27.connected with this, because our tradition is like that, since Homer,
:21:28. > :21:32.poets used to sing their songs. When you see this keep going on and new
:21:33. > :21:36.song writers coming up through this tradition, all the time, new
:21:37. > :21:39.Scottish song writers coming through the tradition of Burns, this is
:21:40. > :21:49.something fantastic. Thanks very much. You're performing later. Right
:21:50. > :21:54.now, Alexis Palisson, performing a song in this version reveals what we
:21:55. > :22:17.shall call Burns' fondness for women.
:22:18. > :22:31.# There's nowt by care on every han # In every hour that passes, O
:22:32. > :22:38.# What signifies the life of man # And were na for the lasses, O
:22:39. > :22:46.# Green grow the rashes, O # Green grow the rashes, O
:22:47. > :22:52.# The sweetest hours that every I spend
:22:53. > :23:00.# Are spent amang the lasses, O # The wal' ly race may riches chase
:23:01. > :23:08.# And riches still may fly them, O # But at last they catch them fast
:23:09. > :23:12.# Their hearts can never enjoy them, O
:23:13. > :23:21.# Green grow the rashes, O # Green grow the rashes, O
:23:22. > :23:22.# The sweetest hours that I every I spend
:23:23. > :23:55.# Are spent amang the lasses, O. But give me a cannie hour at even
:23:56. > :24:01.# My arms about my deary, O # And war' ly cares and worldly men
:24:02. > :24:34.# May give tapsalteerie, O. # For you saedouce, ye sneer at this
:24:35. > :24:40.# You're naught but senseless asses, O
:24:41. > :24:49.# The wisest man and the wal' e' er saw
:24:50. > :24:52.# He dearly loved the lasses, O. # Auld nature swears, the lovely
:24:53. > :25:01.dears # Her noblest work she classes, O
:25:02. > :25:06.# Her prenti ce han, she tried on man,
:25:07. > :25:12.# And then she made the lasses, O. Green grow the rashes, O
:25:13. > :25:14.# Green grow the rashes, O # The sweetsest hours that ever I
:25:15. > :25:21.spent # Are spent among the lasses, O
:25:22. > :25:30.# Green grow the rashes, O # Green grow the rashes, O
:25:31. > :25:30.# The sweetest hours that ever I spend
:25:31. > :26:07.# Are spent among the lasses, O. APPLAUSE
:26:08. > :26:11.Thank you. Michael McGoldrick on flute there.
:26:12. > :26:17.Friendship is a theme that runs through many of Burns' works. Before
:26:18. > :26:24.he died in 1796, he wrote, "You're welcome Willie Stuart" about his old
:26:25. > :26:26.friend. This is a dynamic group of musicians and singers to Prince
:26:27. > :26:58.Harry form that song. # You're welcome Willie Stuart
:26:59. > :27:01.# You're welcome, Willie Stuart # There's never a flower that blooms
:27:02. > :27:07.in May # That halves as welcome's thou art.
:27:08. > :27:12.# Come, bumpers high, express your joy
:27:13. > :27:17.# The bowel we maun renew it, to welcome Willie Stuart.
:27:18. > :27:19.# You're welcome, Willie Stuart # There's never a flower that blooms
:27:20. > :27:31.in May # That's half as welcome's thou art.
:27:32. > :27:38.# May foes be strong and friends be slack
:27:39. > :27:43.# Their actions may he rue it # Many women on him turn her back
:27:44. > :27:51.# That wrongs thee, Willie Stuart # You're welcome, Willie Stuart,
:27:52. > :27:55.# There's never a flower that blooms in May
:27:56. > :29:06.# That's half as welcome as thou art.
:29:07. > :29:12.# There's never a flower that blooms in May,
:29:13. > :30:53.# That's half as welcome as thou art. #
:30:54. > :31:05.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Coming up later: Music from Rachel
:31:06. > :31:09.Sermani, more from Dougie MacLean. But Celtic Connections is not just
:31:10. > :31:13.about the celebration of traditional Celtic music, it's about the
:31:14. > :31:17.influence and connection to music from around the world. A band that
:31:18. > :31:21.represent this spirit of the festival is Salsa Celtica. Here they
:31:22. > :31:27.are with a Cuban love song, inspired by the poetry of Robert Burns.
:31:28. > :31:29.I think if Burns would have been around, he would have been a salsa
:31:30. > :35:28.dancer. Tonight's concert is both a
:35:29. > :35:33.celebration of Burns and the Commonwealth. Joining me now is
:35:34. > :35:37.Hilda from The Mahotella Queens, a group formed 50 years ago, a huge
:35:38. > :35:41.part of the struggle for freedom in South Africa. Later, they're going
:35:42. > :35:44.to be playing their tribute to the man who brought South Africa back
:35:45. > :35:49.into the Commonwealth, Nelson Mandela. How does it feel to be
:35:50. > :35:54.playing in the place which first gave Nelson Mandela freedom of the
:35:55. > :35:59.city? My God, I must say, it's exciting. Point number one. Number
:36:00. > :36:03.two, it's like, it's touching, to be in the place that really wanted to
:36:04. > :36:08.be in struggle together with Mandela, to say, Mandela, we are
:36:09. > :36:12.there for you, go on. We are looking at you. We are going to help you.
:36:13. > :36:17.It's really touching and exciting. This is our home, I must say. We're
:36:18. > :36:20.really excited to be performing here. An honour to have you. We're
:36:21. > :36:29.looking forward to seeing you play later on in the concert. Right now,
:36:30. > :36:59.Dougie MacLean and a rousing version of Highland Harry.
:37:00. > :37:11.# My Harry was a gallant gay # Stately staid he on the plain
:37:12. > :37:16.# But now he's banished far away # I'll never see him back again.
:37:17. > :37:25.# Oh, for him back again # O for him back again.
:37:26. > :37:32.# I would be on Knockhaspie's land # For Harry back again
:37:33. > :37:39.# When all the lavegae to their bed # I wander dowie up the Glenn
:37:40. > :37:43.# I set me down and greet my fill # For aye I wish him back again
:37:44. > :37:52.# O for him back again # O for him back again
:37:53. > :37:57.# I would gie a Knockhaspie's land # For Harry back again
:37:58. > :38:05.# O were somevillean hangit high # And ilka body had their ain
:38:06. > :38:09.# Then I might see the joy of sight # My Highland Harry back again
:38:10. > :38:18.# O for him back again # O for him back again
:38:19. > :38:44.# I would be a Knockhaspie's land # For Highland Harry back again.
:38:45. > :38:52.# Sad was the day and sad the hour # He left me in his native plain
:38:53. > :38:56.# Rushed his friends to join # But no he'll come back again
:38:57. > :39:07.# O for him back again # O for him back again
:39:08. > :39:26.# I wadgi E.On Knockhaspie's land # O for him back again
:39:27. > :39:48.# I wadgi E.On Knockhaspie's land # O for him back again.
:39:49. > :39:58.APPLAUSE Thank you very much.
:39:59. > :40:03.You can see highlights from the Celtic Connections festival and from
:40:04. > :40:05.tonight's concert by going to our web page, bbc.co.uk/Celtic
:40:06. > :40:12.Connections. Back to the concert now. The beguiling voice a young
:40:13. > :40:19.singer, from the Smallvilleage in the Highlands, Rachel Sermanie, with
:40:20. > :40:41.what is probably Burns' most popular love song.
:40:42. > :40:50.# My love is like a red, red rose # Newly sprung in June
:40:51. > :41:02.# O my love's like a melody # That's sweetly played in tune
:41:03. > :41:13.# As fair art thou, my bonnie lass # So deep in love am I
:41:14. > :41:23.# And I will love thee still, my dear
:41:24. > :41:29.# Till all the seas gang dry. # Till all the seas gang dry, my
:41:30. > :41:41.dear # And the rocks melt wi' the sun
:41:42. > :41:57.# I will love thee still, my dear, # Till all the seas run dry.
:41:58. > :42:04.# Till all the seas run dry my dear # And fare thee well
:42:05. > :43:03.# And I will come again, my love, # Tho' it were ten thousand mile.
:43:04. > :43:20.# My love is like a red, red rose # That's newly sprung in June
:43:21. > :43:31.# My heart is like a melody # That's sweetly played in tune.
:43:32. > :43:44.# As fair art thou, my only love # So deep in love am I.
:43:45. > :43:50.# And I will love thee still, my dear
:43:51. > :44:00.# Till all the seas gang dry. # O and I will love you still my
:44:01. > :44:31.dear # Till all the seas gang dry. #
:44:32. > :44:48.Burns' love of women and his many affairs is no secret, though no-one
:44:49. > :44:53.can be really sure how many children he cully fathered. Numbers swing
:44:54. > :44:56.between 12 and 14. What we do know is that these love affairs provided
:44:57. > :45:01.the romantic Burns with the inspiration he needed for his poetry
:45:02. > :45:07.and songs, one of those and his most recorded song A Fond Kiss, was
:45:08. > :45:13.written as a farewell to his Edinburgh lover, known as Nancy.
:45:14. > :45:43.# Ae fond kiss, and then we sever # Ae farewell, alas forever
:45:44. > :45:50.# Deep in heart-wrung tears, I pledge thee
:45:51. > :45:58.# Warring sighs and groans I wage thee
:45:59. > :46:10.# Who shall say that fortune grieves him,
:46:11. > :46:20.# While the star of hope she leaves him?
:46:21. > :46:37.# Me, naecheerful twinkle lights me, # Dark despair around benights me.
:46:38. > :46:50.# I'll ne' er blame my partial fancy,
:46:51. > :46:56.# Naething could resist my Nancy # But to see her was to love her.
:46:57. > :47:22.# Love, but her, and love forever. # Had we never loved sae kindly
:47:23. > :47:29.# Had we never loved sae blindly # Never met or never parted,
:47:30. > :47:52.# We had never been broken hearted. # So, fare, thee, weel, thou first
:47:53. > :47:56.and fairest # Fare theeweel, thou best and
:47:57. > :48:01.dearest # Thine be ilka joy and treasure
:48:02. > :48:14.# Peace, enjoyment, love and pleasure.
:48:15. > :48:29.# Ae fond kiss and then we sever # Ae farewell alas, forever
:48:30. > :48:33.# Deep in heart-wrung tears, I'll pledge thee
:48:34. > :48:43.# Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
:48:44. > :48:56.# I'll wage thee. # I'll wage thee .
:48:57. > :49:21.# I'll wage thee. # APPLAUSE
:49:22. > :49:26.Despite his international reputation today, Burns never left Scotland. As
:49:27. > :49:30.he grew older his writing increasingly reflected injustice
:49:31. > :49:36.across the world. True to his e-Goole tarn principles, he penned
:49:37. > :49:39.several poems highlighting man's inhumanity to man. One is a Slave's
:49:40. > :50:53.Lament. # It was in sweet Senegal that my
:50:54. > :51:00.foes did me enthaw # For the lands of Virginia, ginia,
:51:01. > :51:04.O # Torn from that lovely shore, and
:51:05. > :51:17.must never see it more # And alas! I am weary, weary O.
:51:18. > :51:20.# Torn from that lovely shore, and must never see it more.
:51:21. > :51:39.# And alas! I am weary, weary O. # All on that charming coast is no
:51:40. > :51:50.bitter snow and frost, # Like the lands of Virginia, Ginia,
:51:51. > :51:58.O. # There streams forever flow, and
:51:59. > :52:11.there flowers forever blow # And alas! I am weary, weary O.
:52:12. > :52:14.# There streams forever flow, and there flowers forever blow,
:52:15. > :53:04.# And alas! I am weary, weary O. # The burden I must bear, while the
:53:05. > :53:12.cruel scourge I fear, # In the lands of Virginia, Ginia,
:53:13. > :53:22.O. # And I think on friends most dear,
:53:23. > :53:33.with the bitter, bitter tear. # And alas! I am weary, weary O.
:53:34. > :53:54.# And I think on friends most dear, with the bitter, bitter tear.
:53:55. > :54:02.# And alas! I am weary, weary O. # # Torn from that lovely shore, and
:54:03. > :54:15.must never see it more. # And alas! I am weary, weary O.
:54:16. > :54:32.2014 marks the 20th anniversary since South Africa rejoined the
:54:33. > :54:37.Commonwealth, led by Nelson Mandela. Though Mandela sadly is no longer
:54:38. > :54:40.with us, we are joined tonight by The Mahotella Queens, a group that
:54:41. > :54:44.formed 50 years ago in Johannesburg, and whose songs have been an
:54:45. > :54:51.inspiration for many in the fight gents apartheid. They lead us
:54:52. > :54:52.singing later on Auld Lang Syne, but first they begin with their own
:54:53. > :55:05.tribute to Nelson Mandela. # The giant has fallen
:55:06. > :55:13.# The nation in the mourning # The cries, chanting Mandela
:55:14. > :55:20.# The light has fallen # The nation in mourning
:55:21. > :55:28.# Just listen to the cries # Chanting "Mandela".
:55:29. > :55:34.# Mandela # Man deala
:55:35. > :55:46.# Mandela # Farewell Mandela.
:55:47. > :55:55.# Be mands # Mandela
:55:56. > :57:30.# Farewell Mandela. # APPLAUSE
:57:31. > :01:45.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE We're nearly at the end of the show.
:01:46. > :01:50.Before we rejoin all of tonight's performers on the stage, I want to
:01:51. > :01:57.say a huge thank you to all of our acts and to you for watching. Catch
:01:58. > :02:00.up with all the highlights on the website, bbc.co.uk/Celtic
:02:01. > :02:04.Connections. For two of Robert Burns most enduring songs, in a couple of
:02:05. > :02:08.minutes, a man's a man, and a song you can hear in the background, that
:02:09. > :02:10.doesn't need any introduction, it's known and loved throughout the
:02:11. > :02:20.world. Good night.
:02:21. > :02:22.# Should alled acquaintance be forgot
:02:23. > :02:34.# And never brought to mind? # Should auld acquaintance be forgot
:02:35. > :02:44.# And auld lack syne. # For Auld Lang Syne, my dear
:02:45. > :03:01.# For Auld Lang Syne # We'll tak a cup O'kindness yet
:03:02. > :04:29.# Would auld acquaintance be forgot # And never brought to mind?
:04:30. > :04:40.# For Auld Lang Syne, my dear # For Auld Lang Syne
:04:41. > :05:12.# We'll tak a cup O'kindness yet, machine for Auld Lang Syne.
:05:13. > :05:29.# For Auld Lang Syne, my dear # For Auld Lang Syne
:05:30. > :05:42.# We'll tak a cup O'kindness yet, # For Auld Lang Syne.
:05:43. > :05:49.# For Auld Lang Syne # We'll tak a cup of kindness yet
:05:50. > :06:51.# For Auld Lang Syne. # Is there for honest poverty
:06:52. > :07:00.# That hings his head, and all that # The coward slave, we pass him by
:07:01. > :07:09.# We dare be poor for all that. # For all that and all that
:07:10. > :07:22.# Our toils obscure and all that # The rank is but the Guinea's stamp
:07:23. > :07:29.# The man's the gowd for all that. # What though on hamely fare we dine
:07:30. > :07:33.# Wear hoddin grey and all that # Gie fools their silks and naves
:07:34. > :07:42.their wine # A man's a man for all that.
:07:43. > :07:54.# For all that, and all that. # Their tinsel show, and all that.
:07:55. > :08:01.# The honest man, tho' every sae poor
:08:02. > :08:09.# Is king of men for all that. Ye Er onbirkie, cad, asparse Lord
:08:10. > :08:14.# What strut and stares and all that # Tho' hundreds worship at his word
:08:15. > :08:25.# He's but a coof for all that. Er posh all that, and all that.
:08:26. > :08:26.# His ribband, star and all that. # The man O'independent mind
:08:27. > :09:28.# He looks and laughs at all that. # But an honest man's abon his might
:09:29. > :09:37.# Gude faith, he maunnafa' that. # For all that, and all that.
:09:38. > :09:44.# Their dignities and all that. # The pitho' sense and pride o'
:09:45. > :09:50.worth # Are higher rank than all that.
:09:51. > :09:59.# So let us pray that come it may # As come it will for all that.
:10:00. > :10:05.# That sense and worth, over all the earth
:10:06. > :10:13.# Shall bear the gree, and all that. # For all that, and all that.
:10:14. > :10:23.# It's coming yet for all that. # That man to man, the world over
:10:24. > :10:31.# Shall brothers be for all that. # For all that, and all that.
:10:32. > :10:36.# It's coming yet for all that. # That man to man, the world over
:10:37. > :10:52.# Shall brothers be for all that. #