Song

Shetland has a proud musical heritage, particularly in fiddle music but also in song, although the song tradition is less well known.

Shetland is proud of its musical heritage.  People such as Tom Anderson, Aly Bain, Catriona Macdonald and Christopher Stout have ensured that the distinctive sound of Shetland fiddle music is known round the world.

Shetland's song tradition is less well known.

We still have songs from the past and one of them, The Unst Boat Song, includes fragments of the old Norn language. 

The humorous song has long been a staple at local concerts. 

Today a number of contemporary song-writers use the dialect.

Shetland songs can be found on CDs recorded by bands like Friðarey, Hom Bru and Shoormal and by singers like Eddie Barclay and Alex Couper.  These CDs are best sellers at home and away.

Shetland ForWirds has promoted two CDs which feature dialect songs:  "Ivver Entrancin Wis"  is a suite of Shetland poems in music composed by Lise Sinclair from Fair Isle;   for "Craigsaet - Rhymes, sangs an stories for peerie bairns" we found new songs.   

In This Section

• Bohus
  Bohus - sung by Freda Leask, with the band Shoormal; from their CD Migrant.
• Da Wiggly Wirm Sang
  Da Wiggly Wirm Sang - a bairns' song performed by Freda Leask and Brian Nicholson.
• Guest's E'e
  Guest's E'e - a poem imaginatively scored by Lise Sinclair and performed by Lise with instrumental accompaniment.
• Mair aboot Tirval
  Mair aboot Tirval - a bairns' song sung by Freda Leask and Brian Nicholson, from the CD Craigsaet.
• Saa You My Maggie
  Saa You My Maggie - a traditional song sung by Elizabeth Morewood and Alan Slater.
• Simmer Dim
  Simmer Dim - from CD No Afore Time; sung by Davie Henry with folk group Hom Bru.
• Tied up at Heys
  Tied up at Heys - from CD Lang Lippened; sung by Eddie Barclay
• Unst Boat Song
  Unst Boat Song. An ancient Shetland song performed by Fridarey.
• Waitin for da Crane
  Waitin for da Crane - a humorous song sung by Alex Couper and John Sutherland