25th January marks the annual celebration of Burns Night - a time to celebrate Scotland’s favourite son, and world renowned poet and song writer Robert Burns who was born on this day 1759.
I have covered Oor Rabbie on may occasions so on this day I hope to bring you a few facts about Scotland’s National Bard and his legacy.
Known as somewhat of a ladies man, Burns is known to have fathered 12 or 13 children, depending on the source, to 4 different women. His last born child, Maxwell, was born on the same day as his funeral 25 July 1796, meaning his wife Jean Armour missed his send off.
As a lad growing up in Ayrshire, Burns was always fond of supernatural stories, most of which were told to him by an old widow who helped out on his father’s farm. These stories no doubt had an influence on his writings in the future and perhaps were the inspiration for his classic masterpiece, Tam O'Shanter and the lesser known Adress to the Deil and Halloween. Even in these poems he flattered the fairer sex with his words, this from the latter poem…..
The lasses feat, an’ cleanly neat, Mair braw than when they’re fine; Their faces blythe, fu’ sweetly kythe, Hearts leal, an’ warm, an’ kin’:
Of course Burns also gives another of his favourite subjects a mention in this verse, “the deil himsel,” Look it up it’s another guid yin!
Burns didn’t always want to stay in Scotland - he hoped to move to the Caribbean island of Jamaica. Although following the success of his poetry collection ‘Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect’ (or the Kilmarnock Edition as it is known), he opted to move closer to home, settling in Edinburgh for a time.
For all his fame, Burns never forgot his humble roots. His love for farming stayed with him throughout his life and his writing often dealt with issues affecting the poorer classes, notably highlighting the need for greater social equality. Indeed he is known as the Ploughman Poet, a nod to his farming life.
And on his legacy, Burns has gathered some very famous fans since his passing, US president Abraham Lincoln could recite Burns’ works by heart. Bob Dylan says that ‘A Red, Red Rose’ by Burns is his source of greatest creative inspiration and Michael Jackson song Thriller is said to have been inspired by Tam O'Shanter.
In Japan at pedestrian crossing you don’t get beeps like here in Scotland, they play a rendition of the Burns song ‘Coming Through The Rye’.
There are more statues in honour of Rabbie than any other male figure in history, only surpassed in total by Queen Victoria. (I am not including religious statues).
In 2005 Robert Burns was the first person ever to feature on a bottle of Coca Cola, about a million were made they currently trade for around £10 and I have one, unopened in my kitchen cupboard.
Arguably Burns most famous song, Auld Lang Syne, has appeared in over 170 Hollywood films including The Apartment, It’s A Wonderful Life and When Harry Met Sally. , but he only rewrote the verse, he sent the poem to the Scots Musical Museum in 1788 indicating that it was an ancient song but that he’d been the first to record it on paper. The phrase 'auld lang syne’ roughly translates as 'for old times’ sake’, and the song is all about preserving old friendships and looking back over the events of the year.
In the US city of Atlanta, there is a life-size imitation of Burns’ first home in Alloway, South Ayrshire, although it doesn’t have the famous thatched roof.
In Scotland, there are some 20 official Burns memorials dotted around the country, from Aberdeen to the final resting place of Burns in Dumfries, which commemorate his journey from Ayrshire to “Auld Lang Syne”.
‘My Heart’s in the Highlands’ was translated and adopted as the marching song of the Chinese resistance fighter in the Second World War.
In 2009 STV viewers voted Robert Burns ‘The Great Scot’, beating the likes of William Wallace, Robert the Bruce among others.
There are Burns Clubs scattered across the globe, but the very first one, known as The Mother’s Club, was founded in Greenock in 1801. They held the very first Burns Supper on what they thought was his birthday, January 29th 1802, only to discover that his birthday was actually January 25th!
Since then Burns suppers have been held worldwide.
I know some of you out there will toil to understand some of Burns’s poetry, don’t fear you will find the Best of Robert Burns, translated into the “de'il’s tongue” just Click here…
The song Ae Fond Kiss, was one of my mums favourites the words “Never met-or never parted, We had ne'er been broken-hearted” are inscribed on her grave……“
