Highland Laddie

"Highland Laddie", also known as "Hielan' Laddie", is the name of a Scottish popular folk tune "If Thou'lt Play Me Fair Play", but as with many old melodies various sets of words can be sung to it, of which Robert Burns's poem "Highland Laddie" is probably the best known.

Highland Regiments raised in the 18th and early 19th centuries employed many unique symbols to differentiate themselves from other regiments and enlisted distinctive music to announce their arrival, but as a result of the Cardwell Reforms of 1881, all British Army Highland Regiments were required to use "Highland Laddie" as their regimental march. Over time, many of these regiments had managed to return to their pre-Cardwell marches when, in March 2006, the establishment of the Royal Regiment of Scotland saw the disappearance of all Scotland's historic infantry regiments and their distinctions, including music, and the adoption of a new regimental march, "Scotland the Brave". "If thou'lt play me fair play" has been reworked several times since Burns set down his words, Donkey Riding being one variant.

"Highland Laddie" continues to be the regimental march of a number of Commonwealth regiments with Scottish affiliations. Some of these regiments include:

United Kingdom

Canada

Australia

New Zealand

"'India"'

Highland Laddie is also the name of a dance in Scottish Highland dancing, of the "national dance" subtype. This version of the dance was first published by D.G. MacLennan in 1952, who referred to it as a Hebridean dance, collected by MacLennan in 1925 from Archie MacPherson on the Island of South Uist. MacLennan himself suggested "a more effective finishing" of the dance, with entrechat at the end. Most national dances are usually danced in an Aboyne dress, but the Highland Laddie is one of two national dances that are typically danced in the standard kilt-based outfit, the other being "Wilt Thou Go to the Barracks, Johnny?".

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