Edinburgh based Adam Holmes & The Embers (who feature in part one of Folk Radio UK’s top albums of 2014) have today announced a very special release. In celebration of Burns Night on the 25th and, more importantly, to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care, Adam and the band have recorded Burns’ finest love song, Ae Fond Kiss.
In a gentle acoustic recording featuring guitar, bass and piano, they take a few small, understandable, liberties with the original melody in a rendition where Adam’s voice lends itself perfectly to the melancholy subject matter and builds to a passionate conclusion.
Inspired by his love for Agnes McLehose, Burn’s wrote Ae Fond Kiss as a farewell before she left for the West Indies in December 1791. The song has inspired many musicians over the years, it’s powerful lyrics being one of the most eloquent expressions of love ever to grace a page…
Had we never lov’d sae kindly,
Had we never lov’d sae blindly,
Never met-or never parted,
We had ne’er been broken-hearted.
The recording by Adam Holmes & The Embers is available, by download only, from iTunes. I’ve finally realised that even though I don’t use Apple devices, I can still buy and use media from iTunes! All proceeds go to Marie Curie Cancer Care.