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Today I spent an enjoyable time with my distant cousin, who is also a cellist, and the chef of a local hotel, a South African who sings. I’d adapted some of my cello arrangement of Scottish folk songs for voice and one or two cellos accompanying, and we played and sang through Auld Lang Syne, Annie Laurie, O can ye sew cushions, the Pleugh song, Faithfu’ Johnny and the Tay Boat Song.
If you don’t know them, these are some cracking good tunes, and some of them also have a wonderful turn of poetry. The Tay Boat song has been going round in my head, and the words could be an inspiration for a story. Here are just 6 lines from the lyrics:
She’s my joy and sorrow too;
And although she is untrue,
Well I cannot live without her,
For my heart’s a boat in tow,
And I’d give the world to know
If she means to let me go…
Songs like these contain some wonderful lines, and can be used as prompts for stories. I’ve used words from ancient and modern songs as a kick-starter for the mood or setting for a story or poem, or the title for a story or poem.
Have you ever tried this? There are millions to choose from!
(Quote from http://www.rampantscotland.com/songs/ but a few words altered to a version I found elsewhere.)
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