Listen Up
Explore a curated collection of audio moments—from interviews to soundscapes—designed to inform, inspire, and engage. Whether you're here to learn, reflect, or just enjoy, our audio selections offer something for every listener.
Alan Reid joined Battlefield Band in 1969, just at a time when they were morphing from a ‘covers band’, into a ‘folk group’. They quickly became pre-eminent in the emerging Scottish Traditional music scene, and have even been declared, by one critic, as a ‘national treasure’. Since then, Alan has travelled the world with the Band, and has been involved in over 30 outstanding and critically acclaimed albums.
Over these years, while others came, honed their talentsand moved on to develop solo careers, Alan remained in the keyboard engine room, becoming what I see as the ‘father and son’ of Battlefield Band. So you can imagine that it was a bit of a shock to the band when in 2010, the ever-present Alan decided that it was time to bow out, in order to develop his writing and to follow other musical paths.
Over the years, Alan has become a fine songwriter – songs covering a great range of subjects and emotions. It has been a pleasure to see where his muse has led him – from broad sweeping historical ballads to perceptive and intense character studies and deceptively simple and engaging love songs.
Alan’s songs have been an important part of the Band’s repertoire, but now that he has stepped down, it gives us the opportunity to highlight some of his favourites in their own right – fine pieces of writing, and a record of a distinguished and continuing career in Scottish music – but most of all – just great songs. ROBIN MORTON 2011
01: The Road of Tears – Alan Reid*
02: The Pleasure Will Be Mine – Alan Reid*
03: The Devil’s Courtship – Words: Trad & Music Alan Reid*/An Dro – Trad. Arr. Battlefield Band*
04: The Green And The Blue – Alan Reid*
05: The Dear Green Place – Alan Reid*
06: The Riccarton Tollman’s Daughter – Alan Reid*
07: The Green Plaid – Trad. Arr. Battlefield Band*
08: Love No More – Alan Reid*
09: Jenny O’ The Braes – Alan Reid*
10: The Gallant Grahams – Trad. Arr. Alan Reid and Brian McNeil*
11: Allan McLean – Words: Trad & Music Alan Reid*
12: The River – Words Alan Reid; Music Alan Reid & John McCusker*
13: I Am The Common Man – J Corrie & Alan Reid*
14: Three Brothers – Alan Reid*
15: Jock The Can – Alan Reid*
16: Whit Can A Lassie Dae? – Alan Reid*
17: The Arran Convict – Alan Reid*
18: Christ Has My Hart Ay – (Melody Alan Reid) Arr. Battlefield Band*
* Published Kinmor Music
Alan Reid joined Battlefield Band in 1969, just at a time when they were morphing from a ‘covers band’, into a ‘folk group’. They quickly became pre-eminent in the emerging Scottish Traditional music scene, and have even been declared, by one critic, as a ‘national treasure’. Since then, Alan has travelled the world with the Band, and has been involved in over 30 outstanding and critically acclaimed albums.
Over these years, while others came, honed their talentsand moved on to develop solo careers, Alan remained in the keyboard engine room, becoming what I see as the ‘father and son’ of Battlefield Band. So you can imagine that it was a bit of a shock to the band when in 2010, the ever-present Alan decided that it was time to bow out, in order to develop his writing and to follow other musical paths.
Over the years, Alan has become a fine songwriter – songs covering a great range of subjects and emotions. It has been a pleasure to see where his muse has led him – from broad sweeping historical ballads to perceptive and intense character studies and deceptively simple and engaging love songs.
Alan’s songs have been an important part of the Band’s repertoire, but now that he has stepped down, it gives us the opportunity to highlight some of his favourites in their own right – fine pieces of writing, and a record of a distinguished and continuing career in Scottish music – but most of all – just great songs. ROBIN MORTON 2011
01: The Road of Tears – Alan Reid*
02: The Pleasure Will Be Mine – Alan Reid*
03: The Devil’s Courtship – Words: Trad & Music Alan Reid*/An Dro – Trad. Arr. Battlefield Band*
04: The Green And The Blue – Alan Reid*
05: The Dear Green Place – Alan Reid*
06: The Riccarton Tollman’s Daughter – Alan Reid*
07: The Green Plaid – Trad. Arr. Battlefield Band*
08: Love No More – Alan Reid*
09: Jenny O’ The Braes – Alan Reid*
10: The Gallant Grahams – Trad. Arr. Alan Reid and Brian McNeil*
11: Allan McLean – Words: Trad & Music Alan Reid*
12: The River – Words Alan Reid; Music Alan Reid & John McCusker*
13: I Am The Common Man – J Corrie & Alan Reid*
14: Three Brothers – Alan Reid*
15: Jock The Can – Alan Reid*
16: Whit Can A Lassie Dae? – Alan Reid*
17: The Arran Convict – Alan Reid*
18: Christ Has My Hart Ay – (Melody Alan Reid) Arr. Battlefield Band*
* Published Kinmor Music
Explore a curated collection of audio moments—from interviews to soundscapes—designed to inform, inspire, and engage. Whether you're here to learn, reflect, or just enjoy, our audio selections offer something for every listener.