It Blows
Posted By Russ Emerson on April 6, 2004 at 3:15 pm
Continuing the Scottish theme, I have a confession to make:
I love the bagpipes.
I don’t know where or how or why it happened. It just did.
Some might accuse me of being tone-deaf, but I think the real reason is that I must have a fair amount of celtic blood in me.
When I was a student at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, our Army barracks were just across the street from the Navy barracks. On weekend mornings, one of the sailors would practice his piping on the barracks roof. He was good. Better than good – he was magnificent.
My Dad, by way of contrast, absolutely hated the pipes. He once compared pipe music to the sound that might be made by squeezing a cat under one’s arm while simultaneously biting its tail.
I’m pretty sure he never actually tried that stunt himself.
Your dad’s a funny guy.
I love the bagpipes too.
Bagpipes are one of those things — ya either love ’em or hate ’em. No in-between.
Good thing for me I love ’em, or the piping hubby would be a bad idea. Heh.
I love the pipes. Though, there’s nothing worse than listening to badly played bagpipes. [shudder]
I used to Scottish Country Dance, and the local pipe band used to play at some of our shows, and we used to support them at competitions.
I hate to be stereotypical, but I actually do get choked up just about every time I hear them. There’s something wild and fierce and a little bit sad about them. Has anyone heard the gospel song “This Was Her Time” by Michael W Smith? It’s a tibute to the girl who was murdered at Columbine after refusing to renounce her faith. Very moving.
Man..I love the pipes also. There is nothing and I mean NOTHING that stirs the heart more than “Amazing Grace” from a Bagpipe core.
My wife has made only one request at her funeral and that is Bagpipes be played. It is not part of either of our heritage, I guess it just feels right.