FRIDAY MUSIC: Silly Wizard, by JD

Silly Wizard were a Scottish folk band that began forming in Edinburgh in 1970. The founder members were two like-minded university students—Gordon Jones, and Bob Thomas. In January 1972, Jones and Thomas formed a trio with their flatmate Bill Watkins and performed under various band names in Edinburgh folk clubs.

In the spring of 1972, Watkins returned to Birmingham and, in June 1972, Chris Pritchard (vocals) came in as his replacement. In July 1972, this newly formed trio were offered their first paid booking at the Burns Monument Hotel, Brig O’ Doon, Scotland, and needed a band name in a hurry. The name “Silly Wizard” was chosen and the continuing stream of bookings ensured that the name became permanent. In September 1972, the trio recruited Johnny Cunningham (1957–2003) (fiddle, viola, mandola, vocals)[1] and Silly Wizard started to take off.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silly_Wizard

Silly Wizard: Lover’s Heart

Silly Wizard Live – Donald McGillavry

The Ramblin’ Rover, Andy M. Stewart & Silly Wizard

Bridget O’Malley

Silly Wizard Live – Land O’ The Leal
“Scotland is one of the few places left that cigarettes and fried breakfasts are still good for you” – Andy M Stewart

This song was written by Lady Carolina Nairne of Perthshire, Scotland (1766-1845) in about 1798. The air that she set her words to is a very old Scottish tune. In “The Scottish Review,” Vol. 27, Pg. 115, published 1896, the air is called “Hey Now The Day Dawes.” Subsequently an “anonymous versifier” set lyrics to the tune, which became known as “Hey Tuttie Taitie” or “Hey Tuttie Tattie.” Robert Burns then set “Scots Wha Hae” to the tune, saying “I have met the tradition universally over Scotland, and particularly about Stirling, in the neighbourhood of the scene, that this air was Robert the Bruce’s March at the battle of Bannockburn, which was fought in 1314.”

Thereafter, Lady Nairne set “Land O’ The Leal” to the same tune. This information can be found in “The Scotish* Musical Museum, Consisting of Upwards of Six Hundred Songs, Vol. II,” published 1839, pages 162-168, which contains the musical notation for the original tune, “Hey Now The Day Dawes.” Please note that the lyrics to “Land O’ The Leal” are introduced with the statement: “The ingenious author still unknown to the editor.” The lyrics were later often attributed to Burns, until after Lady Nairne’s death, when her sister published, in 1846, her collected works in a book titled “Lays from Strathearn.”

Silly Wizard members in this clip:

Andy M. Stewart: lead vocals, tenor banjo, whistle
Phil Cunningham: accordion, piano, synthesizers, whistle, cittern, vocals
John Cunningham: fiddle, vocals
Gordon Jones: guitar, bodhran, vocals
Martin Hadden: bass guitar, keyboards, guitar, vocals.

Source: http://theylaughedatnoah.blogspot.com/2026/03/friday-music-silly-wizard-by-jd.html