A FIERCELY proud Scot, an unapologetic “unreconstructed Socialist”, a leading contemporary folk singer-songwriter, and according to Dirty Linen magazine, “Scotland's head and conscience” - this is Dick Gaughan.
Dick Gaughan is making a welcome return to Galway to play the Town Hall Theatre on Tuesday September 23 at 8pm, and in advance of the show, the Galway Advertiser has put together a playlist of five of his finest songs/performances.
'The Workers Song'
Politics features strongly in Gaughan's work and on his webite, dickgaughan.co.uk, he has cited Karl Marx, Lenin, and Bertolt Brecht as among “his greatest influences”.
'Erin Go Bragh'
An exploration of heritage, identity, defiance, Scots-Irish solidarity, yet also the predjudice the Irish faced in Scotland, this song ends with the powerful verse: “Sae come aa ye young people, whairever ye're from?/A don't give a damn tae whit place ye belang/?A come fae Argyll in the Heilans sae braw?/Bit A ne'er took it ill bein caad Erin-go-Bragh.”
'World Turned Upside Down'
The proto-Socialist/Communist ideals of The Diggers, a group of radical 17th century English Christians is celebrated in this inspiring song (also covered by Billy Bragg ). Written by Leon Rosselson, it features on Gaughan's 1981 album Handful Of Earth.
'Jock O'Hazeldean'
A gentler pace now with this tender ballad, from the poem by Sir Walter Scott.
'Now Westlin Winds'
Dick turns in a wonderfully understated performance of this Robert Burns song, as captured in a 1983 BBC TV documentary.
Tickets are available from the Town Hall on 091 - 569777 or www.tht.ie See also www. dickgaughan.co.uk