When I first started playing the harp about a year ago Caledonia was one of the pieces that was on my wish list. This folk balad was written by Dougie Maclean in 1977. He reported that he wrote it in about 10 minutes while on a beach in France when he was feeling homesick for Scotland.
Caledonia was the historic Roman term for the area now called Scotland. It has evolved into a more emotional or romantic name for the country. The name is derived from the Brythonic word “Celydonn” which means wood of the Caledonians or forest. It is no wonder that the song Caledonia is now often considered the unofficial Scottish national anthem.
The song has been covered by many artists and is a staple in the repertoire of many musicians. Bob Leslie, a Scottish songwriter, singer, and recording artist published a detailed analysis of Caledonia, including the chord structure, rhythm patterns, and lyrical rhyming patterns. It is a fabulous read if you enjoy geeking out over such things.
Although I am not from Scotland and have never been to Scotland, the song manages to elicit strong yearnings for me to actually be from Scotland. In addition, it brings strong memories (probably highly distorted), about my childhood home.
There is a familiarity that flows from this easy melody and emotional lyric that can speak to the masses. This no doubt contributes to this song’s popularity and longevity. When the opportunity to learn it at LearningtheHarp.com presented itself I was delighted.
Here is my rendition of Caledonia, late-beginner harp, arranged by Kevin Smuts and Christy-Lyn Marais. I hope you like it.