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[keasy]

Often called the Scottish bard, but universally accepted as the common man's world wide bard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjr5boTgis4

Mr Burns, happy belated birthday.

Feckin years ahead of his time.

Robert Burns
Is there for honest poverty
That hings his heed and a' that
The coward slave we pass him by
We dare be poor for a' that
For a' that and a' that
Our toils obscure and a' that
The rank is but the guinea's stamp
The mands the gowd for a' that

What tho' on hamely fare we dine
Wear hoddin-gray and a' that
Gie fools their silks and knaves their wine
A mands a man for a' that
For a' that and a' that
Their tinsel show and a' that
The honest man tho' e'er sae poor
Is king o' men for a' that

Ye see yon birkie ca'd a lord
Wha struts and stares and a' that
Tho' hundreds worship at his word
He's but a coof for a' that
For a' that and a' that
His riband, star and a' that
The man o' independent mind
He looks and laughs at a' that

A prince can mak a belted knight
A marquis, duke and a' that
But an honest mands aboon his might
Guid faith he mauna fa' that
For a' that and a' that
Their dignities and a' that
The pith o' sense and pride o' worth
Are higher rank than a' that

Then let us pray that come it may
As come it will and a' that
That sense and worth o'er a' the earth
Shall bear the gree and a' that
For a' that and a' that
It's coming yet for a' that
That man to man the warld o'er
Shall brothers be for a' that
For a' that and a' that
It's coming yet for a' that
That man to man the warld o'er
Shall brothers be for a' that


Put simply, we're aw the same, for a' that 


come tae hink o it...
the guy in the youtube link sums it up nicely...
Robert burns ode to humanity.

Spine tingles...

[Hallcat]

That's the first time I heard his song.  You know, my grandfather on my mom's side was a Burns.  That makes me Scottish even if my McAdams nee name makes me Irish.  Loved it, thanks for sharing.

[Wooster]

Put simply, we're aw the same,

I'm not

[Wooster]

Sorry..blatant Monty Python quote there..


I've always admired the man and his sentiments..
..he was centuries before his time..

(I'm a bit late in celebrating myself, but I have haggis, tatties and neeps in the fridge ready for a dinner in his honour tonight.. )

[Grant]

That's the first time I heard his song.  You know, my grandfather on my mom's side was a Burns.  That makes me Scottish even if my McAdams nee name makes me Irish.  Loved it, thanks for sharing.

its no a song tis a poem.

and McAdam could make ye scottish too. Mc is scottish for "son of" ie, "Son of Adam"
Mac is "grandson of" iirc, MacDonald is the grandson of donald.

In Ireland its O'   so O'Neill is the son of Neill

(i didnt look it up anywhere, but im sure im right.  :P)

[keasy]

Mc and Mac are both son of.
O'   eg: O'malley   is grandson  afaik.



And BTW, it IS a song.

[Grant]

my apologies

[Wooster]

I thought it was a poem that someone ended up putting to music myself..

[keasy]

I thought it was a poem that someone ended up putting to music myself..

Nah, Burns wrote poems and songs.


http://www.robertburns.org/works/496.shtml


He wasn't just a hack.

I suppose he knew the difference between a poem and a song, just that he wasn't musician or composer.
He wrote song lyrics just not the score.

[AbaddonsFury]

Put simply, we're aw the same,

I'm not

No were not....there's 'prey' and then there's me...hahaha...

[keasy]

...

and the fact I took that the intended way proves the whole ...'A mans a man for a'that' point   ;0

[keasy]

I find this as relevant today as many many middle of the road bands fare...
ain't a poem, poetically lyrical perhaps but a defo song, probably Burns most popular song.


And it's not in stone how these songs should be interpreted.


I like Eddi Readers version though (same as many popular tunes for My Love Is)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUs-5dHFksw&feature=related

[corroded]

...excuse my blatently englishness here (and lack of being arsed to google->wiki robert burns)....

but who was he, what did he do, and why do the scots love him so much?






all i remember, is blue peter made a fuss but i forget why :\

[keasy]

I think it's the rest of the world who love him and he happens to be Scottish.
It's by no means a celebration of Scots.
It's a celebration of a man who could arguably be the first social conscience put in pen from a humble background who dared to speak his mind as only the upper and ruling plutocrats were accepted as worth listening to at the time. He changed the worl;d for the better of the common man.


A mans a man for a'that ----being the point and an example of why he's so good.  We're all men and equal.
Don't take no special culture to get that point. Probably why there is more Burns appreciation sopcieties in the former USSR than anywhere else. Ain't political, it's simply put...'regardless of social status, title or monitory influence'  a mans a man for a'that.
Or....a man is a man for all (the stuff in between that separates us physically ...money, social status/class etc) that.


That may be a key word here 


the man was a feckin genius the more I think about it.