Calum’s Road strathspey

One of the requestes tunes. 🙂
No idea where this version comes from. I learned it from another player in the local ITM scene. We play it not too fast, and follow it up with Alasdair Fraser’s Independence Trail.

This tune was composed by Donald Shaw of Capercaillie and is very popular-sometimes too popular—around the Scottish sessions.
Your version is slightly different from the one that normally gets played. It’s ok but I’m not sure about the B note in bars 4 and 8 (part 1) and in Bar 8 (part 2). We usually play the B note in the lower octave, ie 2nd finger on G string on the fiddle (4th fret mandolin). The rest of the tune isn’t too different.

John

Further to the above, I notice that you have typed in B’ for these notes in the ABC where, maybe, you intended to type B, (which would have been correct). This is maybe why it shows up as an octave higher in the sheet music. Hope this helps and, sorry if I’m being picky.

John

I have it in my Ceol Nam Feis Book 1. The story goes that Calum wanted to have a new road built to his croft as it was quite a walk from the nearest public road. The council wouldn’t oblige so he built it himself and it took 10 years!! (this length of time may have been exaggerated in the telling!) Donald Shaw wrote this as a tribute to Calum’s hard work!

Now that’s a good reason to write a tune!!!
Kaz

Now I know why ABC2Win complained (although it interpreted it correctly). I changed the ABC here. Thanks!
Thanks also for the background info!

Kaz you’re right about the tune origins. Calum was from Rathsay, an Island off Skye and the road was from Arnish to the main road, about 2 miles. He was awarded a British Empire Medal for his efforts and he lived from 1911-1988. The road was built in the 70s, I think.

Another tune that sounds great with this one is a reel called Ornette’s Trip To Belfast, also by Donald Shaw. Is it on this site?

I learnt this from Angus lyon. He said someone called Calum (whom I have forgotten) spent years and years building a road, and he finished building it and died the week after.

Hi All,

I have been searching for the guitar chords for Calum’s Road in D Major.

If you have them may I please ask you to send them to me via a reply to this post?

Please and thank you.

Best Wishes,
Greg

I have a set of chords - but not the ones played on the Caipercaille CD. - a rough plan

Part A
D /
Em Bm
G D/F# Em A
D /
Em Bm
G D/F# Em A D

Part B
G F#m
Em D Bm A
G F#m
Em D A D

Thank you! I will give them a try.
Regards,
Greg

Thanks Allan,

It is the Caipercaile’s version I need afterall….

Greg

Thanks Allan. It is the Caopercaile’s version I need after all.


Best Regards,
Greg

…sorry for the double reply. I don’t know how to edit ot delete.

Greg

There’s a book published last year about Calum and the Road - it makes good reading

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_m_h_/203-0071041-1330341?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=calum%27s+road

On holiday on Skye a few years ago - driving round Raasay (there’s a little ferry across). Anyhow we got to a bit where the road suddenly changed and started looking a little ‘dodgey’ . Decided not to risk it and turned round, with some difficulty. Looking at the map later we realised that must have been the start of Calum’s Road - should have driven down it on principle - next time maybe 🙂
,

Maybe I’m just going a little crazy here, but am I the only one who thinks this kind of sounds more like a March than a Strathspey? Perhaps the difference is all in how you choose to play it?
Either way it’s a lovely tune. 🙂

Yeah, I would call it a march too, rather than a strathspey. But definitely a strathspey-esque march. 🙂

By the way, there’s an article on Calum MacLeod on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calum_MacLeod_(of_Raasay)

I’m not finding this on any Capercaillie track listings. Which album is it on?
***
Scratch that. Found it. The Blood is Strong.

Lovely tune! I’m listening to one version of this & coming up with something slightly different from the original setting. Here’s the clip > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84aB9FwcTJ4

play video

Also, I’m working it out on my A whistle. In any case I’ll keep plugging away & jot down what I can as it comes to me. It won’t be *too* different from the OP.
Hopefully I’ll post what I have this coming week. Until then I’d love to see any variant versions the rest of you play.

AB

chords on X:1

Have played Calum’s Road ON Calum’s Road: was attending one of Rick Taylor’s music courses on Skye, and we had gone up a couple of days early and therefore had a free Sunday to go across to Raasay. Forgot that we should have played Mrs Macleod of Raasay too.
So here is the evidence! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sG7biOwdho Maybe not the best version you’ll ever see!

play video

Fine version by Sarah Bauhan :
https://youtu.be/Eh40uz86G-8

play video

Here’s the story of the road:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1LxfNmBE3Y

play video

I met Calum on a trip to Raasay as a kid in the ’60s - wheelbarrow, spade, pickaxe and all. I remember him as being very charming and patient with all our questions…

Beautiful tune and beautiful story. I have saved both of them and intend to learn the tune.