The Heron Ballads' by Robert Burns. Four works known collectively as the Heron Ballads which Burns wrote in support of the Whig party candidate Patrick Heron. Patrick Heron (1736 - 1803) was the party's candidate for the 1795 Parliamentary by-election for the Stewarty of Kirkcudbright. Burns had met Heron a year earlier and had known of him for quite some time - Heron was involved in the establishment of the Ayr bank of Douglas, Heron, and Company which failed disastrously in 1773. Nonetheless, Burns found Heron to be an able and just politician. From: https://www.nts.org.uk/collections/object/archive-110004777?page=1
Burns wrote the lyrics to The Heron Election Ballad No. 4 in 1795, set to the melody of “Buy Broom Besoms,” a popular ballad of the day. He composed it for the Whig banker/politician Patrick Heron of Kerroughtree (1736-1803) who served as Member of Parliament for Kirkcudbright Stewartry between 1794-1803. It is one of a series of political songs Burns wrote in support of Heron, who contested two separate elections for the seat in 1795. The first, against Gordon of Balmaghie. This ballad, Number 4, was specifically written for the second election, against Montgomery Stewart. Heron won the election, but was subsequently barred from taking office. From: https://lyricstranslate.com/es/silly-wizard-heron-election-ballad-lyrics?amp
The incredibly influential Scottish folk band Silly Wizard was formed in Edinburgh 1970 around a nucleus of Gordon Jones and Bob Thomas who were both at university and a little later by Johnny Cunningham who was still at school which must have made touring a challenge. Gordon recalls the band picking up Johnny at the school gate “to be driven to Sutherland for a gig and be decanted from the van at the school gates next morning!” They kept themselves busy as the band also ran the Triangle Folk Club in Edinburgh on Saturday nights. Their first tour abroad was in 1972 and maybe not so well known is that they also toured around Britain along with a female singer for a while – Maddy Prior. It was around this time that they were approached by Transatlantic Records and recorded an album in two days which has never been seen or heard since. Members came and went (including Dougie MacLean) until it solidified into the lineup that recorded their debut self-titled album in 1976 featuring Gordon, Bob and Johnny alongside Alistair Donaldson, Freeland Barbour (later replaced by Johnny’s brother, the well-known Phil Cunningham) and Andy M. Stewart. From: https://klofmag.com/2019/05/silly-wizard-reissue-1976-debut/
