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Leavin' Loch Leven - single

by Beth Malcolm

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about

Some 400 years ago, Mary, Queen of Scots spent her last months in Scotland, in a castle on Loch Leven. Inspired by the curlews she spies from her window, this song is an imagined conversation between Mary and her lady in waiting, as they dream of escaping.

lyrics

When yer leavin Loch Leven,
Tell me what will ye do?
Like the Redpoll, she sings,
in Spring,
I’ll follow the call of the Curlew

When erst I spied her from my window
Time and tide ago
She was down where the mosses grow,
And the winds blow

[Chorus]
But where will ye go?
And what will ye do?
Lass I’ll follow the call of the Curlew
How will ye hide?
And where will ye bide?
Lass I’ll learn tae fly
Aye yer gallus my Queen,
But what if ye
what if ye dee?
Well then I’ll die Lochanside, among delphinium


When yer leavin Loch Leven,
Will ye sail by the daylight?
Like the Redpoll she sings,
in Spring,
I’ll follow the call of Curlew
By nightfall
When erst I spied her from my window
Kissing catkins on the willow
Down where the hazel grows
And the winds blow

[Chorus]


And I’ll fly South to Africa
When the air turns cold in October
And I’ll grow wise
With by birds eye
And Perthshire’s far behind

But I will return
when my heart starts to yearn
for the North
And I’ll scatter new seeds of freedom
By the banks o Loch Leven


When yer leavin Loch Leven
Mary will ye think of me?
Aye I’ll haud ye tae my breast
As I crawl in the nest
Of the Curlew

And when first you spy me from the window
When time and tides have run
I’ll be down where the mosses grow
And the winds blow

But where will ye go?
And what will ye do?
Lass you’ll follow the calls of the Curlew

How will ye hide?
And where will ye bide?
Lass you’ll learn tae fly

Aye yer gallus my dear,
But what if ye
What if ye dee?

Well then you’ll die Lochanside, among delphinium
Well then you’ll die Lochanside, among delphinium

credits

released February 14, 2023
Piano and vocals - Beth Malcolm
Guitar - Heather Cartwright
Whistles - Ali Levack
Clarsach - Laura Penman

Written and produced by Beth Malcolm
Mixed by Iain Hutchison at Gloworm Recording Studios
Mastered by Peter Beckmann at TechnologyWorks
Videography by Graeme Roger at Wildbird, with the support of Feis Rois and NatureScot

license

all rights reserved

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about

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Beth Malcolm Edinburgh, UK

- Scots Singer of the Year, BBC Trad Awards 2022 -

Beth Malcolm is a singer-songwriter and keyboard player from Perth. Beth’s music is folk-inspired, and she sings a mix of traditional, modern and self-penned Scots songs. ... more

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