Story Behind The Song

A young lad believing he has seen his true love embracing another leaves the Scottish Highland village enraged for the stormy foreboding cloudy Highland spires. He meets an old highlander coming down the highland mountain trail and during the conversation that ensue.

Song Description

Celtic tradition has been passed on in story and song since Rome ran the Druids out of Europe. This story song crosses two time lines with the same man.

Lyrics

THE HIGHLANDER
Music & story lyrics by Roger Bolt
Co-arranged with JoAnna Noble

A lad of years twenty and three cried love is false and unkind.
His thoughts were filled with jealousy, only kill'n was in his mind.
On angry strides he left the town, seeking the Highland heather.
With tears of rage from eyes of pain he welcomed the chill'n weather.

In Highland spires within the clouds he met an old Highlander walk'n.
His great white mane and beard spoke of time with the Highland eagles talk'n.
Anger left the young mans face before any words were spoken.
While gaze'n upon the old Highlander there was mountain thunder roll'n.

With trembling words the lads' tale was told,
The Highlander stood with a look of know'n.
He waited until the lad was done, in ancient brogue his silence broken.
"I know your pain", the Highlander said. "Those very words I've spoke'n."
"I know the feel'n of a heart that's recently been broke'n."

"There's a story told about a man that haunts the lofty highlands.
In rage he left the world behind for haven in the mountain skylands.
In a jealous fury he killed a man, an act against God and people.
In the tapestry of time he wanders lost dwell'n with the highland eagles."

"Wretched wandering and love forsaken from a terrible misunderstanding.
They say he's lost his mind and all, his sanity no more command'n."
"I tell ye true", the Highlander said. "Ye life you'll be a waist'n, if ya run with the pain ore' the spite ye ache'n hearts been chase'n."
"Take a hard, hard look at this face and tell me what ya see, lad."
"For you are me and I am thee when I was twenty three!"




Before the lad could reclaim his senses,
In mist the Highlander vanished.
He knew the eagles had given him a chance to change his future famished.
He turned to tread back to town to change the terrible cost,
Terror cleaved his mind and soul. He discovered he was lost.

In ghostly mist a shadow appeared, with a beckon pointed the way.
A haunting echo, the Highlanders voice said
"Listen to what the eagles say."
Haunting echo, the Highlanders voice..
"Listen to what the eagles say
"Listen to what the eagles say."

Playlist Creator	Playlist Name	Date Added
Delta Burnett Reed	Country/folk	12/10/2018
Delta Burnett Reed	Folk Music	12/10/2018
Delta Burnett Reed	Deltas favorites	12/10/2018
Delta Burnett Reed	My Top Songs	6/17/2015