A whole collection of celtic music about Scotch Whisky. This collection has words of wisdom from Robbie Burns, songs from the past and some new ones about the drink of our land. Robin Laing's smooth voice is the perfect choice to present these songs.

In the introduction Robin says " As whisky goes through its long period of maturation in wooden casks, a certain amount is lost in evaporation. This is know as the 'Angels Share'. It could be the reason why angels plays harps and sing! The scots are a musical nation, and much given to singing and song-making. It is entirely appropriate therefore that whisky, Scotland's best known contribution to humanity, should be celebrated in song.

These songs are from Robin's show, The Angel's Share, which muses on the various themes that emerge from Scottish whisky songs and poems. The Scots have an ambivalence about whisky. Centuries of religious disapproval meant that we became as interested in the production of whisky as its consumption, for it drinking the stuff leads to damnation, turning it into an enterprise could lead to salvation. This ambivalence lies behind many other things, the mythology of the medicinal dram, the acceptance of punishing levels of tax, and the fact that delight in excessive drinking has been counterbalanced by a very active Temperance movement.

The whisky songs and poems tell us stories if we look closely enough. I had a lot of fun putting the material together. I hope these songs give you as much pleasure, whether you listen to them with a dram or not.

Any underlined item you can listen to with a 4.0 realaudio player. This album costs £11.99 plus postage and handling. You can order at amazon.co.uk. If you would like to order by check go here.

The Angel's Share

1. MORE THAN JUST A DRAM 4:10 This Robins tribute to malt whisky. As you can tell, he is fascinated by the effects of maturing whisky in oak casks. That is what gives it such character and distinctiveness and makes it the best drink in the world. 2. OUR GLENS 4:00 For some people whisky is more important than anything else. 3. PIPER MACNEIL 2:36 Sometimes whisky drinker have to contend with the disapproval of others. This songs shows the best reaction 4. WILLIE BREW'S A PECK O' MAUT 2:45 Burns wrote this after he and his two friends had had a memorable night on home-make whisky. 5. THE PARISH O' DUNKELD 2:20 This must be the last word in how to deal with religious disapproval. However, the last verse is a later addition and a 'moral improvement'! I left it in for ironic effect. 6. TAK' AFF YOUR DRAM :37 Excerpt from a poem which is built on lines from Burns. 7. TWELVE AND A TANER A BOTTLE 2:53 A poignant lament on the price of whisky. Pour yourself a large one and sing along. 8. WHISKY AND WOMEN 1:31 This song come out of the USA a few years before political correctness did. 9. NANCY'S WHISKY 2:59 There are Irish versions of ths song, except that in those, the weaver doesn't give up whisky, but returns to work in order to earn some money for his next spree!. 10. THE DEIL'S AWA' WI' TH' EXCISEMEN 1:33 Of course Robert Burns was himself an Excisemen. Just as well he wrote things like this, or he many not have become our national bard! The verse is from his poem 'Scotch Drink'. 11. A BOTTLE O' THE BEST 3:22 Asserts the superiority of whisky over various other drinks and the superiority of singe malts over blended whisky. I don't know why this should be so contentious, but it is. If anybody tries to tell me that blends have any advantage apart from price, then there's bound be a row! 12. JOHN BARLEYCORN 4:20 This is Burns' version of a very old traditional song. I found the tune in a whisky glass one pleasant April evening. Single malt is made from malted barley. The magical nature of its treatment is evoked by this personification of barley into John Barleycorn. 13. TONGUE DISCIPLINE :22 The whole poem is great, but this verse sets the scene for the song that follows. 14. TALL TALE 2:16 Tells the story of a man who has saved up ten bottles of whisky for a big party. Unfortunately, his wife bullies him into pouring the whisky down the sink. What can he do but obey? A small gesture of defiance is entirely understandable. 15. WHISKY YOU'RE THE DEVIL 2:40 The Irish have a wealth of songs about whisky, though many of them sing the praises of poteen - a dreadful raw spirit - not really whisky at all. The few single malts they produce are not bad, if you can't get Scotch. 16. TAK' A DRAM/A WEE DEOCH AN DORUS 2:48 Ian Sinclairs song sums up the way in which whisky and song together have lubricated countless moments of human warmth and togetherness. Long may it continue!