In Scotland Dick Gaughan is probably our equivalent of Woodie Guthrie, but no-one I know outside of political activism has ever heard of him. In America, where what they call the “alternative” scene is dominated by college radio, it’s even worse with sometimes shameful hostility expressed towards great “cultural activists”, to borrow Irvine Welsh’s phrase, like Woodie Guthrie and Pete Seeger. It’s a strange thing, but the indie scene, which is slightly pretentious, with aficionados considering themselves to be “musos” have always turned their noses up to the folk tradition, tolerating perhaps Billy Bragg, maybe even Dylan, but drawing the line at overtly populist singers like Matt McGinn and staying well clear of anything politicised. It is, I think, a real testament to how the whole independence referendum debate has sparked interest in Scottish history and culture that someone like me, whose musical taste so far has consisted exclusively of guitar based indie bands, the more obscure and unpopular the better, could become excited and inspired by a folk song from 1960. Having been involved with anti-nuclear activity and being an SSP member, I had been aware of, but had never actually heard Hamish Henderson’s most famous song. I am embarrassed to say that up until a couple of months ago, I had never heard the song Freedom Come All Ye.
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