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Roarin' Donald, the first in this lively set of reels, is a tune written by Andy for his son, Donald-Alan. The Man Who Shot the Windmill is dedicated by Phil to the man on Skye whose home-built windmill went berserk one day in the strong winds often enjoyed by the Western Isles. The instrument confounded all attempts to shut it off and finally, in the interest of safety, its creator had to shoot it! We wind up the set with another new composition, A Glint of Silver.
The Secret Portrait – Jacobite sympathizers had to be very clandestine in their support for the Stuart after the failure of the 1745 Rebellion. They often went to great lengths to conceal their continued allegiance to their outlawed Prince. The Secret Portrait, an example of which can be viewed in the West Highland Museum in Fort William, seems to the casual observer to be merely an amorphous swirl of colored paints on a flat board. It is instead an ingenious device whereby, if a polished metal cylinder or goblet is placed in the center, a miniature portrait of Prince Charles Edward Stuart will appear, as if by magic, reflected on the side of the vessel. Wha'll Be King But Cherlie – A grand old Jacobite rallying song.
Lover's Heart is a romantic ballad composed by Andy and Phil at the Flodigarry Hotel, in the Isle of Skye.
When Summer Ends – An air written by Phil in memory of his friend, Tich Richardson.
The Chill Eastern Winds is coupled with the beautiful Socts fiddle tune Margaret Ann Robertson.
Willie Archer – Andy got this song from the singing of Antoinette McKenna.
Simon MacKenzie's Welcome to His Twin Sisters/Farewell to "The Heb" The second tune in this set was written to mark the occasion of the ferry "The Hebrides" being replaced by a newer boat to serve outer isles of Scotland.
The Blackbird of Sweet Avondale Charles Stewart Parnell was imprisoned in Kilmainham Jail in Dublin in 1881 for the leading part he played in the Irish Land League. In songs of rebellion or songs that the government might consider seditions, it was common to use a synonym instead of a person's real name. In this case, Parnell is "The Blackbird of Sweet Avondale".
