Analysis of Capercaillie's Skye Waulking Song

1. “Skye Waulking Song” - Capercaillie Area of Study 4

2. Learning Objectives • By the end of the lesson you will be able to: • Gain a broader understanding relating to folk music and the set work • Explain the key features in the music • Understand the analysis of ‘Skye Waulking Song’

3. Background to “Syke Waulking” • A waulking song is a work song, sung by women workers processing cloth. • Capercaillie are a Scottish band who combine traditional Gaelic folk music and elements of rock music. • Their sound is a fusion of the two styles and could be described as Celtic rock.

4. Capercailllie Sound • The song combines folk and rock instruments. • The (amplified) instruments associated with rock music are: • Synthesiser Wurlitzer piano • Bass • drum kit • The (acoustic) instruments associated with folk music are: • Violin (fiddle) • Accordion • Pipes • Bouzouki

5. Song Structure

6. Section one (bars 1 - 24) Feels very traditional, with just a simple beat In E minor - chords change between Em & G Quite quiet, calm and peaceful - almost sounding subdued None of the instruments really stand out in the focus is on the singer Section two (bars 24 - to end) Full rhythm section (drums and bass part) In G major (relative major of E minor) Generally much louder, there is a quieter section when the drums and bass guitar stop A pipe solo that uses some of the vocal melody line as it improvises There are harmonised backing vocals Analysis

7. Important points to note • 'Chuir m’thair mise dhan taigh charraideach' - translates into English as 'My father sent me to the house of sorrow'. • Harmony in this style of music is less important than melody and rhythm • The harmony is very simple • The chord changes highlight the change of section and mood • The melodic lines are played in the folk style • Instruments improvise around the melody simultaneously, sometimes playing a very similar melody in slightly different ways -heterophonic texutre • Improvised counterpoint - around the melody and scale – G major • The vocal part is sung using the scale of E minor pentatonic or G major pentatonic throughout • The traditions of “Waulking Song” can be heard in the use of nonsense, syllables between each sung line and repetition of each line of the verse • The backing vocals join in for the vocalising of the nonsense syllables in between each line of lyrics

8. Glossary relating to Set work • Oral Tradition – a tradition which is passed on by word of mouth or imitation • Protest songs – folk songs with political lyrics • Fusion – a mingling, or blending together, of more than one musical style or culture to create a new ‘fused’ sound • Heterophonic texture – two or more parts playing the same melodic line simultaneously with small variations between the parts • Pentatonic scale - a five note scale • Vocables - nonsense syllables • Scots Gaelic - • Strophic structure - Melody in each verse is the same • Bouzouki - A string instrument a bit like a mandolin