Songs

Original songs, arrangements & commissions

Traditional songwriting

In a world where AI can generate a new song about any specified topic within seconds, and offer to perform it flawlessly in any number of styles and media, why spend so much time and effort trying to capture feelings and experiences in words and music?

Why save and pour over old songs written generations ago, trying to understand and connect with authors and societies which are long gone and to apply their insights to us and our society?

Songs are personal. Human. Deep connections and stories that are so much more than their component words and notes. Songs can encourage, comfort, inspire, console, calm, and make us want to dance. Real songs have real value. Songs bring us together - across a room, across an ocean, across generations. Here are some of mine, and some from others that speak to me.

Original songs

A small selection of songs written and performed by Mike on his own instruments. Album coming soon! Feel free to sing any of them for non-commercial use, but please note that as a member of PRS for Music (IPI 828821515) all public performances must be logged with them, and a license sought for recording, sync or other commercial use.

When I first strung this particular cittern, I played around with the hammer-ons and open-tuned chords and found myself being led into writing about the instrument and its relationship to me. The lyrics describe the origins and processes involved in creating it, and the chorus is me losing myself whilst playing it and appreciating the ‘voice of the forest’ in my hands.

Voice of the Forest

Mareel ('sea fire')

Sitooteries (places to 'sit out')

Hunted by heron

This song seeks to describe an experience I had once, many years ago, when swimming at night on the West coast of Scotland. First I saw the stars reflected on the surface of the water, and then millions of other smaller points of light like ‘shooting stars’ in the water which traced every move. Mareel (‘Sea Fire’ in old Norse) is the Shetland word for such bioluminescent plankton, and I very much hope to meet it again!

The Covid-19 "lockdown" in 2020-21 was a very strange time. With everyone restricted in their movements and many unable to work at all, their movements and working from home or unable to work at all, the focus turned to creating and embellishing nearby spaces to 'sit out'. We still use our clay oven. One of my neighbours was particularly creative and inspired much of this song - you know who you are!

When I opened my curtains one sunny Autumn morning I noticed a large, gray, still shape beside our garden pond which looked like a rock - until it lifted its head and looked sideways. This song tells the rest of the story, and I have since added netting to protect the other fish.

Song arrangements

Examples of Mike's arrangements and wide repertoire of traditional folk and contemporary Scottish songs. Note recordings of his more modern song repertoire cannot be shown here for copyright reasons.

Coming soon

Bonnie Ship 'The Diamond'

Twa Corbies