Familiar Songs - Their Authors & Histories

300 traditional songs, inc sheet music with full piano accompaniment & lyrics.

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492
OUR FAMILIAR SONGS.
TULLOCHGORUM.
The author of this song, Rev. John Skinner, was born at Balfour, Scotland, October 3r 1721. He was liberally educated, and had been given to rhyming from childhood. He became a clergyman, and joined himself to the party of the Episcopal or non-juring clergy. Still, he could not have been a very strong partisan, for his song of " Tullochgorum" was-made expressly to assist in reconciling contending factions. Mr. Skinner was at the house of Mrs. Montgomery, with a company, when a dispute arose on the subject of Whig and Tory politics, which became unpleasantly exciting. The hostess called upon Mr. Skinner to suggest appropriate words for the " Reel of Tullochgorum," whereupon he then and there made the song which Burns called " the best Scotch song ever Scotland saw."