Silly Wizard- On the Banks of the Lee (Scottish Ballad)

[@laurathornton1456]

Rest in peace you great Scottish songbird. You and that crazy Cunningham boy as well. You were both too gifted for the likes of us.

[@tantohappi3635]

Without a doubt

[@BernardViolinTeacher]

if one has ever felt true love, it is impossible not to be moved by this song. The amazing Andy... a great artist.

[@NiennaLion]

theres a reason why this has no dislikes, no one could hate this

[@martine2u]

Not sure what the big controversy is here: Silly Wizard sang songs of both the Irish and Scottish tradition and never pretended otherwise (Andy M. also wrote some very beautiful songs that fit perfectly in the tradition.) It is the "Lee" that is mentioned here, as stated in the title of the song. A lovely rendition of this song, as I always expect with Silly Wizard. I only regret I never saw them perform it...

[@adriennekraft2381]

Why argue? Both Irish & Scottish music are wonderful, and isn't it possible they have the same roots, both being Celtic? I love both!

[@Dhughill]

Research Scottish history (circa 7 B.C.) You'll find how spot on you've been in your statement!

[@driedpancake]

Both Gaelic.

[@RenneAtha]

All of this Scottish/Irish confusion! Andy M Stewart (the singer) was Scottish, one of the greatest. So the accent is very much Scottish, but the song is Irish. (As an aside, it really really hurt having to write "was" instead of "is"... rest in peace Andy, and thank you for the songs~* Heaven's choir has gained a golden voice.)

[@ncleve1033]

andy sterwart has the emotional presence and voice that this love lost ballad deserves..... ahh sweet !

[@kevinodum2218]

this is a true love song

[@kvalenda]

its best song ever i cry when listen to goodbye my mother i love you are in the sky

[@derekmcdonnell]

beautiful love song, eire abu, id listen to this man sing all day long

[@avelaiona]

Very beautiful song

[@VTX1314]

Scottish Irish nae matter its the voice of a gael and sincere

[@psychedelicwriter5051]

How beautiful...

[@Mordoll]

gorgeous... as that i feel chills on my spine

[@LindsayCurran]

So achingly beautiful! Many many thanks!

[@txgip]

....we miss you Andy

[@clevermusicsham]

This Beautiful Cork song I learned in school was brought to Scotland many many years ago by Irish Emigrants same as Scottish Emigrants done the same thing as all songs stories culture just like Irish/Scottish Gaelic same way as we all pick up stories songs and gossip to this day, by people like you @ me, traveling the world and we still do,,

[@midfordmason9995]

Love it.

[@feralbigdog]

i was looking for this song for a long time*goes to click add to favorites*

[@louisemprice1]

This is definitely an Irish ballad. There are two rivers in Ireland called The Lee. One in Northern Ireland and one in Co. Cork. Not only that but, if one listens to the words of the song, he sings of wild Irish flowers that remind him of his Mary. And later he sings of wild Irish roses which he lays on her grave. He is not going to pick roses in Ireland to lay on a grave in Scotland!

[@AnCoilean]

3 one in Kerry which the tralee is built on

[@MrJohnmduncan]

TISS Scottish, ORIGINALLY, The Banks Of The Dee.

[@sivanadesireeholler7727]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, especially he says every wild Irish flower.

[@ThyGeekGoddessMuze]

So there were Irish Surnames from the river "Lee"? Ahhh, that tracks a grandmother's father to maybe Ireland. I think Italian names were in vogue in the 1700s as the medical field grew. (The Medici). Most of my folks were engineers from Scotia. I found a split after Culloden on the ship (corvette class) Oliver Cromwell. I'm trying to figure out why "-well" was tacked on to so many names.

[@RenneAtha]

As to picking Irish roses for a Scottish grave, maybe he works for Interflora? ;)

[@haddockpaddock]

me too! ever since I first came across it, all of 3 days ago!

[@tomoole]

@Uthlander Actually\ this song is popular in Cork County, where the LEE is the principal river. The song is Irish not Scottish - but still very beautiful.

[@michaelburke5907]

Makes me cry every time, me a crusty 69 year old softee.

[@maritaz7577]

me too

[@niallo301]

the river lee is in cork, its an irish ballad

[@liospoil2010]

Its shared by both countries , its a celtic ballad

[@lorrygeewhizzbang9521]

ahhhhhh this is an irish song lad!

[@lynnsaoirse]

Of course Andy M can sing Irish songs, sure hasn't Dolores Keane been singing Caledonia for years? We love &admire each other's music, but this is not a fuzzy 'Celtic' song, but a pure Irish song, &you can see we get even more specific& want to say what county gets credit for it. So this one is from the Republic of Cork, make no mistake ye Langers! But the Wizards did every Irish song they did proud, they were pure magic together; those left still are individually. RIP Johnny Cunningham. Miss u

[@elizabethkovar]

This song is beautiful, and it also makes me sad because love today has become so conditional, not saying it was always unconditional of the past but our behavior and social engineering has destructed us to become so animalistic and conditional rather than focusing on the heart.

[@sonerbihan]

The two rivers called " the Lee " flow in Ireland and not in Sco'land, so, that song is an irish one

[@dannyboy5517]

lets go to war over it

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

"Black is the Colour" is an Irish song yet it mentions the Clyde, which is in Scotland.

[@jamesstuartbrice420]

It does not matter where the rivers are. There is a story of a song about a lake in Wales, and when the author was told that there are no lakes in Wales, she kept the verse and hoped listeners would not know about that. Don't know if that is true or not. But it cannot matter, songs are about a mythical world outside of the normal world. Anyway, it is a very sensitive song. Andy M. Stewart had a really sensitive gift for elegant emotionally moving singing.

[@johnhextall1136]

There are hundreds of lakes in Wales! You're right about Andy Stewart though.

[@darkangel333ful]

it is true love song touch me right away

[@mairimanley5326]

Forgive me if I am wrong. But...I stayed in Tralee for a reasonable time, right next to a park dedicated to Mary, The Rose of Tralee. The Lee River flows through Tralee. If you research the story of The Rose of Tralee,, I think it's identical to the story in the song.

[@1948DESMOND]

as lee is a chinese surname, maury, i suppose one could call this a chinese song. after all, why not? why should we irish be the only ones to have a river called lee?

[@mm-gr7wf]

It's an Irish song This was my great grandfather song called Arthur mcdonagh it was written for his wife Mary Collins also known as manie she died in a fire with her four month old baby and another women called Winifred mcdonagh.

[@amicidelcaffe9401]

I think it is based on "Bonny at Morn" And this is a northumbrian folk song!

[@legandrydirk]

@TheVelvetBride But he was singing about the banks off the DEE not the LEE.He was also mentioning other parts off Scotland in the song.

[@Hwyadylaw]

Ireland* They are scottish, yes, but they performed songs from both Ireland and Scotland.

[@wombn8t]

Aragorn and Arwen?

[@ballincurry]

don't worry if this is scottish or irish, we are the same people who have been divided by the english.

[@DantesDarkside]

Andy M. Stuart from Silly Wizard. He has an awsome voice. Just now I've uploaded the song "if I was a blackbird"

[@Nef89104]

I am looking for the sheet music for this song, does anyone know where I can get it please, thanks

[@martinstokes9865]

This song is as irish as irish can be. It about a traveller woman burnt to death true story., and the husband away at war

[@1948DESMOND]

i suppose the poor english will get the blame for the poor w oman's death.

[@mm-gr7wf]

This was my great grandfather s song he was called Arthur mcdonagh his wife was Mary Collins also known as manie he went to work in England his wife and a four month old baby and another women called Winifred mcdonagh they was in the work house and they all died the baby remains was never found because the fire was that bad god rest them all

[@Coughlan1916]

This is an Irish song

[@ТихонТимофеев-ш9щ]

Coughlan1916 Irish heart-Russian blood...the key)) would understoood)

[@mattt6078]

no shit it says every wild irish flower but andy is a good singer so deal

[@snarlacarla]

I love Silly Wizard, and this is one of their finest songs. Thanks. You don't have a copy of the Loch Tay Boat Song by Andy M. that you could upload, do you?

[@hoterebel]

I am looking for the song : »AA Cameron’s Strathsprey ... The new shillin’” from the album “so many partings” Ce groupe est venu chanter dans mon village de 300 hab. en 1979, ou 1980 je crois!!! eh oui j'étais enfant mais jamais je ne n'oublierai !! Que d'émotion pour mon 1er concert ! J'ai encore le disque ! La jacquette et celle là même (photo plus haut) : « So many partings » Trop fun de re écouter leur album now

[@legandrydirk]

@TheVelvetBride The Irish flower is clearly a metaphor for his Irish lover.

[@jayoungr]

You can tell it's Irish because the heroine's name is Mary. If it were Scottish, she'd be Jean!

[@legandrydirk]

@gaaar4 Why is he signing about a Scottish river then?Do you think that there was no Irish women,around in Scotland when this was written?Its clearly a love song,about a Irish women.Clearly written in Scotland up north somewhere in Tayside

[@anivardanyan]

@legandrydirk it is the banks of the LEE, a river in Ireland, meh..

[@alexmorris452]

Andy m Stewart ,,,,sadly missed ,,,,,,someone commented that he’s IRISH ,,,,,,,he’s SCOTS,,,,,,,HES OORS

[@legandrydirk]

@Jared7873 OK your right just re listened to it there

[@irelandserverferrersegura4021]

👍❤️

[@nathanjordon6950]

Why aragon? 😂😂

[@annelir9729]

I thought the same, but had to dig far to find a comment about it XD

[@francescopucci7340]

what's funny ??

[@legandrydirk]

@tomoole He never said Lee he said Dee,and that is up in Tayside

[@Jared7873]

@legandrydirk Definitely the Lee. Check out other artists who sing it.

[@kevinodum2954]

this song mines me and gf

[@anivardanyan]

Silly Wizard is a Scottish band, but this particular song is apparently Irish, not like both. :D Why should Scottish lovers date by an Irish river or sing about "wild IRISH flowers"? :D

[@seanog75]

@legandrydirk sounds like LEE to me

[@leonardosmithzabuza4953]

TOUCH SOUL

[@ryn5302]

my mary...

[@kevinodum6759]

The play in Walker Texas Ranger

[@clifffaceledge]

Why argue about Scottish & Irish? Be like Glasgow's East End and be both instead!

[@thomasbernecky2078]

Tiny Gods...It's good the Scots and Irish don't like sad songs at all. and kids, you may be right about it being Irish, but aren't they both Celtic (or is that over now, again)?

[@moragmacgregor6792]

I always think this is going to be "The Banks of the Ban." Then I'm always disappointed.

[@fenwayify]

Oh Morag, I too enjoy the rousing, "The Banks of the Bann," but "On the Banks of the Lee" (both on the "Kiss the tears away" album) carries the depth of Andy M. Stewart's most heartfelt ballads. Andy could sing funny and rowdy tunes like, "Ramblin' Rover" and "Queen of Argyll," but his ballads like this one and "The Valley of Strathmore," "If I was a blackbird," "Golden Golden," "Bridget O'Malley," "Land of the leal," "Broom o' the Cowdenknowes," "Wi' my dog and gun," "Ferry me over," "Lover's heart" and "MacGregor's Gathering" represent his deepest, most powerful work. Even the instrumental piece, "When summer ends," from A Glint of Silver is as touching as it gets. I was able to see Silly Wizard just once, about 40 years ago, yet the concert remains the most emotional of my life. Enjoy it all, including the reels and the jigs, but please don't discount those wonderful ballads; they're pure treasures.

[@the_rune_raven2253]

that's not a Scottish accent that's Irish due

[@kungfuiskungfucom]

IRISH SONG

[@eire4444]

tis gaaar4....Lee river Co Cork

[@zeuxogott9556]

Silly Wizard are from scotland not from irish

[@kevinodum2218]

this mind me of gf and my true love and future wife

[@anjaboss77]

.......siegfried.......

[@DantesDarkside]

alacas69, I loaded it up now, just look at my profile

[@lohheidpipingschool1]

But it takes a Scotsman to sing it properly ;)

[@download77]

Lohheide pipingschool If I was a Scot I would be proud of Andy M Stewart too.

[@Leisure001]

But you should have sung: there is no one I love more than "her", not more than "she." Or, no one I love more than "you." Proper English every time.

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

Proper English is an invention of Oxford. When the original paper was sent to the University of Edinburgh for review they laughed at it.