Recordings & Info 183. Willie Macintosh
CONTENTS:
1) Alternative Titles
2) Traditional Ballad Index
3) Child Collection Index
4) Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
5) Folk Index
6) Mainly Norfolk (lyrics and info)
ATTACHED PAGES: (see left hand column)
1) Roud No. 4010: Willie Macintosh (10 Listings)
Alternative Titles
Bonny Willie Macintosh
The Burning of Auchindown
The Burning of Auchindoun
The Burning of Auchindoon
Traditional Ballad Index: Willie Macintosh [Child 183]
NAME: Willie Macintosh [Child 183]
DESCRIPTION: Willie Macintosh (probably in revenge for the slaying of the Earl of Murray; see Child 181) swears he will burn Auchindown, even if Huntly murders him. Macintosh succeeds in his efforts
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST_DATE: 1808 (Finlay)
KEYWORDS: feud revenge fire
HISTORICAL_REFERENCES: 1592 - Vendetta between the Earl of Huntly and Clan Macintosh
FOUND_IN: Britain(Scotland) US(NE)
REFERENCES: (6 citations)
Child 183, "Willie Macintosh" (2 texts)
GlenbuchatBallads, p. 188, "[Willie Macintosh]" (1 fragment)
Bronson 183, "Willie Macintosh" (1 version)
BarryEckstormSmyth pp. 264-266, "Bonny Willie Macintosh" (1 text, learned in Scotland)
Friedman, p. 266, "Willie Macintosh" (1 text)
OBB 134, "Willie Macintosh"
Roud #4010
ALTERNATE_TITLES:
The Burning of Auchindown
NOTES: The Willie Macintosh of this ballad was an ally of the Earl of Murray; [to avenge] Murray's death, he and his followers harried the Earl of Huntly, whose followers eventually caught up with Macintosh's men and defeated them. Contrary to the ballad, this Willie didn't burn Auchindown castle; that had been burned by another Willie Macintosh forty years before. - PJS
The only [known] tune [for this song] was miraculously preserved by either [Ewan] MacColl's father or else his mother. Yeah, sure! - AS
And Barry et al argue that the piece wasn't really meant to be sung. But even Bronson admits the effectiveness of the tune supplied by MacColl. - RBW
Child Collection Index-- Child Ballad 183: Willie Macintosh
Child --Artist --Title --Album --Year --Length --Have
183 Alasdair Roberts & Friends The Burning of Auchindoun Too Long in This Condition 2010 3:22 Yes
183 Aly Bain & Mike Whellans Willie MacIntosh + Cooley's Reel Aly Bain & Mike Whellans 1971 2:26 Yes
183 Barleycord Burning of Auchendown New Tracks Across Old fields 1997 No
183 Barleycord The Burning of Auchindoun Travellers Tale 2006 No
183 Battlefield Band The Burning of Auchindoon Battlefield Band's Highland Hi-Light 1991 1:46 Yes
183 Brothers 3 Willie Macintosh Brothers 3 ... Again 2004 1:41 Yes
183 Cece Borjeson The Burning of Auchindoon The Cost of Freedom - Songs of Civil Rights, War & Peace No
183 Cecile Corbel Auchindoun Songbook Vol. 1 2006 3:15 Yes
183 David Kilpatrick The Burning of Auchendoon David Kilpatrick 2005 4:29 Yes
183 Distant Oaks Willie Macintosh Against the Tide 1999 2:25 Yes
183 Emptyhouse Willie MacIntosh Gone But Not Forgotten 2005 No
183 Ewan MacColl The Burning O' Auchendoun - Willie Macintosh The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (Child Ballads) - Vol. 1 1961 :53 Yes
183 Ewan MacColl The Burning O' Auchendoun (Willie Macintosh) The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) - Vol. 8 [Reissue] 196? 1:02 Yes
183 Ewan MacColl The Burning O' Auchendoun (Willie Macintosh) The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) - Vol. 4 1956 No
183 Ewan MacColl Willie MacIntosh Blood and Roses - Vol. 4 1986 :54 Yes
183 Ewan MacColl & The Topic Singers The Burning of Auchendoun Ewan MacColl, Isla Cameron & The Topic Singers 1956 No
183 Gallowglass The Burning of Auchindoun Demon of the Gibbet 2002 1:34 Yes
183 George Jackson & Maggie MacInnes The Burning of Auchindoun Cairistiona 1984 2:30 Yes
183 Girlandia Willie McIntosh Celtic Heir 1994 No
183 Harmony Glen The Burning of Auchindoun Where the Wind Blows 2011 No
183 Hedgehog Pie The Burning of Auchendoon The Green Lady 1975 3:42 Yes
183 Hedgehog Pie The Burning of Auchendoon Live! 2003 4:06 Yes
183 Hedgehog Pie The Burning of Auchindoon Brum Folk 76 Souvenir Album 1976 3:38 Yes
183 Highland Sun Auchindoun + Tam Lin Celtic Crossover 1997 3:42 Yes
183 Jacarandah Ceilidh Willie McIntosh A Cup of Kindness 2003 No
183 Jeana Leslie & Siobhan Miller Burning of Auchindoun + Pint of Wine In a Bleeze 2008 3:11 Yes
183 Jeana Leslie & Siobhan Miller Burning of Auchindoun + Pint of Wine Folk Rising 2 2008 No
183 Kempion Willie MacIntosh Kempion 1977 1:39 Yes
183 Maddy Prior & June Tabor Burning of Auchindoon Silly Sisters 1976 1:10 Yes
183 Megan McInnis & Chris Chapman The Burning of Auchindoon The Demon Lover 1997 No
183 Michael Raven & Joan Mills The Burning of Auchindown Can Y Melinydd (The Miller Song) 1976 2:50 Yes
183 Michael Raven & Joan Mills Burning of Auchindown The Dutch Connection 1976 No
183 Mick Pearce & Kitty Vernon The Burning of Auchindoon Dark the Day 1998 1:44 Yes
183 Pumajaw The Burning of Auchindoun Curiosity Box 2008 5:34 Yes
183 Pumajaw The Burning of Auchindoun John Barleycorn Reborn - Dark Britannica 2007 5:44 Yes
183 Raven The Burning of Auchindoun + Drunken Jigs Twa Corbies [Raven] 1996 No
183 Roots Quartet Auchendoon and Chile Prehistory 2002 3:44 Yes
183 Rosaleen Gregory Burning of Auchindoon Sheath and Knife [Rosaleen Gregory] 2012 2:21 Yes
183 Ruth George & Cece Borjeson The Burning of Auchindoon Hearts in Harmony 2002 No
183 Stairheid Gossip The Burning of Auchendoon Stirrin' It Up 2002 2:57 Yes
183 Stanley Robertson The Burning of Auchindoun A Keeper of the Lore 1999 No
183 Tan Yows The Burning of Auchindoon Undipped 2012 No
183 The Iron Horse Auchindoon Demons & Lovers 1996 4:34 Yes
183 The Iron Horse The Burning of Auchindoun The Iron Horse 1992 4:40 Yes
183 The Iron Horse The Burning of Auchindoun + Turn Again Folk 'n' Hell - Fiery New Music from Scotland 1997 4:40 Yes
183 The Short Sisters The Burning of Auchindoon Love and Transportation 2002 1:27 Yes
183 Willy & Brian Claflin Willy MacIntosh In Yonder's Wood 2009 1:11 Yes
Excerpt from The British Traditional Ballad in North America
by Tristram Coffin 1950, from the section A Critical Biographical Study of the Traditional Ballads of North America
183. WILLIE MACINTOSH
Texts: Barry, Brit Bids Me, 264.
Local Titles: None given.
Story lypes: A: Willie Macintosh, involved in a border feud, is burning Auchendown, although he has been warned that Huntly is moving to head him off. Examples : Barry.
Discussion: Barry, Brit Blds Me, text follows Child A closely. However, the ballad was taken down from recitation and appears to be no longer sung in Maine. See Barry, op. cit. 9 265.
The ballad is based on one of a series of revenge incidents which originated in the Murray murder (see Child 181) of 1592. William Macintosh and his men were attacked and routed by Huntly while ravaging the latter's lands. See Child, III, 465 for the complete details of the events and an explanation of the confusion of two William Macintoshes.
Folk Index: Willie Macintosh [Ch 183]
Friedman, Albert B. (ed.) / Viking Book of Folk Ballads of the English-S, Viking, sof (1963/1957), p266 [1823ca]
Bain, Aly; and Mike Whellans. Aly Bain - Mike Whellans, Leader/Trailer LER-2 022, LP (Lea), trk# B.03a
MacColl, Ewan. MacColl, Ewan / Folk Songs and Ballads of Scotland, Oak, Sof (1965), p83
McPherson, James. Moore, Ethel & Chauncey (ed.) / Ballads and Folk Songs of the Southwest, Univ. of Okla, Bk (1964), p 95/# 36 [1940s]
Silly Sisters. Silly Sisters, Takoma 7077, LP (1977), trk# 2 (Burning of Auchindown/Auchindoon)
Mainly Norfolk: Burning of Auchindoon
[Roud 4010; Child 183; Ballad Index C183; trad.]
The Burning of Auchindoon is a ballad aboud the vendetta between the Earl of Huntly and the Clan Macintosh in 1592.
Ewan MacColl sang The Burning o' Auchendoun in 1956 on volume 4 of The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads).
Maddy Prior and June Tabor sang Burning of Auchindoon unaccompanied in 1976 on their album Silly Sisters. Tan Yows learned the song from this album and recorded it in 2012 for their CD Undipped.
Lyrics
Maddy Prior and June Tabor sing Burning of Auchindoon
As I came in by Fiddich side on a May morning,
I spied Willie Macintosh an hour before the dawning.
“Turn again, him again, turn again I bid ye.
If ye burn Auchindoon, Huntly he will head ye.”
“Head me or hang me that will never fear me.
I will burn Auchindoon ere the life leaves me.”
As I came in by Fiddich side on a May morning,
Auchindoon was in a blaze an hour before the dawning.
Crawing, crawing, for all your crowse crawing,
You've burnt your crops and tint your wings
An hour before the dawning.