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Sleeve Notes
Here we have a new Album from "The Gaberlunzie", which is certain to be as popular and successful as their "Brave Words and Fighting Talk".
This record serves to introduce Robbie Menzies, who in April, 1971, joined the original "Gaberlunzies", Robin Watson and Gordon Menzies.
Gaberlunzie sound is unmistakable with heavy overtones of Scottish patriotism, blending beautifully to harmonic love songs and melodies, such as "Ann Macdonald", "Sparkling Raindrops", "Bonnie Annie", and "Towards Morning".
Doing session are two of their close friends Jack Marshall from Largs on bass and Donald Marshall from East Kilbride on drums. Jack and Donald are both excellent musicians and come into their own on numbers like "Kelly", "Staten Island" and "13 Spans of Steel", which recalls the Tay Bridge disaster of last century.
All five, with the exception of Jack Marshall, are serving Police officers and the "Talking Cop Blues" is a tongue in cheek good natured "figment of pure fantasy".
Ludwig's Tune is, in fact, Beethoven's Sonatina in "C" Major for piano and mandolin very freely adapted and arranged for mandolin and guitars.
"Nelly, Nelly" tells the story of the American Civil War, Abe Lincoln and the continuing struggle between black and white.
Charles Edward Stuart is remembered in "Grey Man of Skye", while the "Great White Sheep", recounts the tale of the highland clearances in the years following Culloden. During those troubled times, none was more thorough or callous than the Marchioness of Sutherland, who cleared her hills and glens by forcing her kinfolk to emigrate by the thousands and thus leave the land free for the more profitable "Cheviot", the "Great White Sheep".
Ian Brown