Wee German Lairdie (Scottish Rebel Folk Ballad) - Sam Shackleton

Busking a traditional Scottish Jacobite rebel folk ballad called “Wee German Lairdie” in the Scots language atop the steep cliffs of the Salisbury Crags in beautiful Edinburgh, Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

This is a great wee historic ballad which dates back to the Jacobite uprisings in Scotland in the 1700’s. Many versions of this song were sung and it’s believed to be about King George I or his heir. The song pokes fun at the kings supposed love of gardening and also the fact that he was born in Hanover, Germany, and could only speak a few words of English despite being king of Britain and Ireland at the time. The Jacobites were active in Scotland since the deposition of the last Catholic Stuart king by William of Orange/Parliament in 1689, and many battles were fought to regain the throne for the Stuart dynasty. The Jacobites were defeated once and for all at the Battle of Culloden in 1746 and much of Scottish Gaelic Highland culture was purposefully destroyed in the decades/centuries that followed, with the tragic effects still being felt to this day. 🏔️

Despite the fearsome sentiment of this song, it’s important for me to state just how ridiculous the idea of monarchies really are. Even the Stuart/Stewart dynasty that the Jacobites fought for were not from Scotland, nor cared for the thousands who fought and died for nothing. The notion of monarchy and divine right to rule was as antiquated and ridiculous in the 1700’s as it is today. Cheers!! 🤘

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