Burravoe Boat Song

This song was composed by Neil Matheson who was in charge of the Post Office in Shetland during WW2. At a concert in Lerwick in 1944 this song was first performed. The music was unearthed by Nita Odie of Da Auld Haa in Burravoe from Olivia Tulloch, whose family ran the Post Office in Burravoe and which Neil Matheson would have visited. The original 1944 performance was arranged for piano by J P Boyd, but at a concert in Bigton a few years ago A Ritch arranged it as a choral piece. I have added some of my own arrangements as well. Neil Mathieson was keen that his lyrics in English were changed into Shetland dialect, and with deference to all the women who now enjoy rowing I have changed the gender to the neutral term 'crew'. George Ewen

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Always wonderfully fascinating the hear these songs alongside the images. Well done again.