{"history":[],"article":{"id":"5c3d52f4-3ce0-488f-a954-ca16601b1cbc","title":"The Road to the Isles","slug":"the-road-to-the-isles","content":":::summary\n:::\n\n# \n\"**The Road to the Isles**\" is a famous tune composed by Pipe Major John McLellan DCM which was originally called \"The Bens of Jura\", although it previously had other titles.\nIt is part of the [Kennedy-Fraser](https://bliptext.com/articles/marjory-kennedy-fraser) collection, and it appeared in a book entitled Songs of the Hebrides, published in 1917, with the eponymous title by the Celtic poet Kenneth Macleod.\nThe poem is headed by the statement \"Written for the lads in France during the Great War.\"\nThe impression is given by the notes appended to the book that the author was Kenneth Macleod himself.\nMarjory Kennedy-Fraser toured the Western Isles of Scotland in the summer of 1917 and collected a group of local tunes.\nThe tune associated with the \"Road to the Isles\" was an air played by Malcolm Johnson of [Barra](https://bliptext.com/articles/barra), on a [chanter](https://bliptext.com/articles/chanter), and composed by Pipe Major John McLellan of [Dunoon](https://bliptext.com/articles/dunoon) (originally titled \"The Bens of Jura\" and \"The Burning Sands of Egypt\").\nMacleod then wrote the words for a voice and harp (or piano) arrangement of this air by Patuffa Kennedy-Fraser.\nThe tune was written as a march for the [British Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-army).\nIt is said to have been played by [Bill Millin](https://bliptext.com/articles/bill-millin), piper to [Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat](https://bliptext.com/articles/simon-fraser-15th-lord-lovat), during the first day of the [Normandy Landings](https://bliptext.com/articles/normandy-landings) on [D-Day](https://bliptext.com/articles/d-day) during [World War II](https://bliptext.com/articles/world-war-ii), during a Commando attack during [Operation Roast](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-roast) in the [Spring 1945 offensive in Italy](https://bliptext.com/articles/spring-1945-offensive-in-italy).\nThe lyrics mention first the hills of the [Isle of Skye](https://bliptext.com/articles/isle-of-skye) (whose memory is calling the traveller west), then the successive locations he will pass on the way across the Western Highlands and Inner and Outer Hebrides.\nThe locations mentioned are: the [Cuillin Hills](https://bliptext.com/articles/cuillin), [Tummel](https://bliptext.com/articles/river-tummel) and [Loch Rannoch](https://bliptext.com/articles/loch-rannoch), [Lochaber](https://bliptext.com/articles/lochaber), [Shiel](https://bliptext.com/articles/loch-shiel), [Ailort](https://bliptext.com/articles/lochailort), [Morar](https://bliptext.com/articles/morar), the Skerries (rocky islets – in this case, just off Skye), and the [Lews](https://bliptext.com/articles/lews-castle).\nA cromach (or cromack) is a [shepherd](https://bliptext.com/articles/shepherd)'s crook or stick.\n\"Tangle\", or [sea tangle](https://bliptext.com/articles/sea-tangle), is [oarweed](https://bliptext.com/articles/oarweed) or similar seaweed.\n\n# Lyrics\nA far croonin' is pullin' me away
\nAs take I wi' my cromach to the road.
\nThe far Cuillins are puttin' love on me
\nAs step I wi' the sunlight for my load.\n**Chorus**
\nSure by Tummel and Loch Rannoch and Lochaber I will go
\nBy heather tracks wi' heaven in their wiles.
\nIf it's thinkin' in your inner heart the braggart's in my step
\nYou've never smelled the tangle o' the Isles.
\nOh the far Cuillins are puttin' love on me
\nAs step I wi' my cromach to the Isles.\nIt's by Shiel water the track is to the west
\nBy Ailort and by Morar to the sea
\nThe cool cresses I am thinkin' of for pluck
\nAnd bracken for a wink on Mother's knee.\nRepeat chorus\nThe blue islands are pullin' me away
\nTheir laughter puts the leap upon the lame
\nThe blue islands from the Skerries to the Lews
\nWi' heather honey taste upon each name.\n\n# Influence\nA number of parodies have been based upon the tune to this song.\nNotable examples include \"Leo McGuire's Song\" by [Billy Connolly](https://bliptext.com/articles/billy-connolly) and \"Scottish Holiday\" by [The Corries](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-corries).\nThe tune was used by [Ewan MacColl](https://bliptext.com/articles/ewan-maccoll) for his rambling song \"Mass Trespass 1932\", a forerunner of his song \"[The Manchester Rambler](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-manchester-rambler)\".\n[The Wiggles](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-wiggles) used this tune as \"Do the Highland Fling\" on their \"Dance, Dance!\"\nCD and DVD and \"Nursery Rhymes\" [YouTube](https://bliptext.com/articles/youtube) video and CD.","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-26T11:12:22.336Z","updated_at":"2025-01-26T11:12:22.336Z","search_vector":"'isl':5 'road':2","search_content":" \n \n\n# \n\"**The Road to the Isles**\" is a famous tune composed by Pipe Major John McLellan DCM which was originally called \"The Bens of Jura\", although it previously had other titles.\nIt is part of the [Kennedy-Fraser](https://bliptext.com/articles/marjory-kennedy-fraser) collection, and it appeared in a book entitled Songs of the Hebrides, published in 1917, with the eponymous title by the Celtic poet Kenneth Macleod.\nThe poem is headed by the statement \"Written for the lads in France during the Great War.\"\nThe impression is given by the notes appended to the book that the author was Kenneth Macleod himself.\nMarjory Kennedy-Fraser toured the Western Isles of Scotland in the summer of 1917 and collected a group of local tunes.\nThe tune associated with the \"Road to the Isles\" was an air played by Malcolm Johnson of [Barra](https://bliptext.com/articles/barra), on a [chanter](https://bliptext.com/articles/chanter), and composed by Pipe Major John McLellan of [Dunoon](https://bliptext.com/articles/dunoon) (originally titled \"The Bens of Jura\" and \"The Burning Sands of Egypt\").\nMacleod then wrote the words for a voice and harp (or piano) arrangement of this air by Patuffa Kennedy-Fraser.\nThe tune was written as a march for the [British Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-army).\nIt is said to have been played by [Bill Millin](https://bliptext.com/articles/bill-millin), piper to [Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat](https://bliptext.com/articles/simon-fraser-15th-lord-lovat), during the first day of the [Normandy Landings](https://bliptext.com/articles/normandy-landings) on [D-Day](https://bliptext.com/articles/d-day) during [World War II](https://bliptext.com/articles/world-war-ii), during a Commando attack during [Operation Roast](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-roast) in the [Spring 1945 offensive in Italy](https://bliptext.com/articles/spring-1945-offensive-in-italy).\nThe lyrics mention first the hills of the [Isle of Skye](https://bliptext.com/articles/isle-of-skye) (whose memory is calling the traveller west), then the successive locations he will pass on the way across the Western Highlands and Inner and Outer Hebrides.\nThe locations mentioned are: the [Cuillin Hills](https://bliptext.com/articles/cuillin), [Tummel](https://bliptext.com/articles/river-tummel) and [Loch Rannoch](https://bliptext.com/articles/loch-rannoch), [Lochaber](https://bliptext.com/articles/lochaber), [Shiel](https://bliptext.com/articles/loch-shiel), [Ailort](https://bliptext.com/articles/lochailort), [Morar](https://bliptext.com/articles/morar), the Skerries (rocky islets – in this case, just off Skye), and the [Lews](https://bliptext.com/articles/lews-castle).\nA cromach (or cromack) is a [shepherd](https://bliptext.com/articles/shepherd)'s crook or stick.\n\"Tangle\", or [sea tangle](https://bliptext.com/articles/sea-tangle), is [oarweed](https://bliptext.com/articles/oarweed) or similar seaweed.\n\n# Lyrics\nA far croonin' is pullin' me away \nAs take I wi' my cromach to the road. \nThe far Cuillins are puttin' love on me \nAs step I wi' the sunlight for my load.\n**Chorus** \nSure by Tummel and Loch Rannoch and Lochaber I will go \nBy heather tracks wi' heaven in their wiles. \nIf it's thinkin' in your inner heart the braggart's in my step \nYou've never smelled the tangle o' the Isles. \nOh the far Cuillins are puttin' love on me \nAs step I wi' my cromach to the Isles.\nIt's by Shiel water the track is to the west \nBy Ailort and by Morar to the sea \nThe cool cresses I am thinkin' of for pluck \nAnd bracken for a wink on Mother's knee.\nRepeat chorus\nThe blue islands are pullin' me away \nTheir laughter puts the leap upon the lame \nThe blue islands from the Skerries to the Lews \nWi' heather honey taste upon each name.\n\n# Influence\nA number of parodies have been based upon the tune to this song.\nNotable examples include \"Leo McGuire's Song\" by [Billy Connolly](https://bliptext.com/articles/billy-connolly) and \"Scottish Holiday\" by [The Corries](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-corries).\nThe tune was used by [Ewan MacColl](https://bliptext.com/articles/ewan-maccoll) for his rambling song \"Mass Trespass 1932\", a forerunner of his song \"[The Manchester Rambler](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-manchester-rambler)\".\n[The Wiggles](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-wiggles) used this tune as \"Do the Highland Fling\" on their \"Dance, Dance!\"\nCD and DVD and \"Nursery Rhymes\" [YouTube](https://bliptext.com/articles/youtube) video and CD.","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}

History