The Cutter - Seonaidh Beag Iain
The story behind one of Runrig’s best known tracks, 'The Cutter'. Seonaidh Morrison, from the Isle of North Uist, is reunited with the songwriters who celebrated him in words.
'When you arrived in Canada, you walked the streets. Out of work, out of money, prospects bleak... Now the plane comes down from the morning sky, and you touch the land where the fire won't die. Oh, Johnny...'
The Cutter is one of Scottish band Runrig’s best-known songs, from the album that delivered their breakthrough in 1987, The Cutter And The Clan.
We meet the 'Johnny' referred to in the words.
Johnny (Seonaidh) Morrison is from the isle of North Uist. He has lived in Ontario, Canada for 56 years but has never lost his native Gaelic. When he recalls the Runrig boys, it’s with a chuckle – still surprised that they wrote one of their famous songs all about him.
As a young man, Seonaidh was a lorry driver in the local community. Young brothers Calum and Rory MacDonald formed part of a gang of children who would leap aboard Seonaidh’s lorry for a free ride at every opportunity. And they’d go with him back and forth to the moors as loads of peat were taken home to families for winter fuel. The MacDonald lads became Runrig.
We hear how Seonaidh left Uist for Canada, how he felt about the 'The Cutter' at the time and how it now makes him feel, when he plays the track on its original vinyl copy gifted by the boys.
In Gaelic with English subtitles.
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Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Interviewed Guest | Seonaidh Morrison |
Interviewed Guest | Calum MacDonald |
Producer | Patsi MacKenzie |
Broadcasts
- Sat 16 Apr 2022 21:00
- Mon 18 Apr 2022 20:15
- Sat 6 Aug 2022 20:15
- Wed 14 Sep 2022 23:15
- Sun 18 Sep 2022 19:40
- Thu 6 Oct 2022 23:45
- Sat 8 Oct 2022 19:35
- Sat 17 Dec 2022 19:30
- Fri 23 Dec 2022 23:15
- Christmas Day 2022 00:40
- Boxing Day 2022 19:45
- Tue 27 Dec 2022 20:45
- Tue 7 Feb 2023 22:40
- Sun 26 Mar 2023 20:40
- Sat 3 Jun 2023 19:15
- Sat 8 Jul 2023 20:45
- Mon 28 Aug 2023 20:15
- Sat 2 Sep 2023 18:45
- Sat 16 Dec 2023 23:50
- Christmas Day 2023 20:15
- Thu 4 Jan 2024 20:15
- Fri 29 Mar 2024 19:15
- Mon 1 Apr 2024 20:15
- Tue 23 Apr 2024 22:15
- Mon 6 May 2024 20:15
- Wed 17 Jul 2024 22:45
- Wed 24 Jul 2024 21:45
- Sat 27 Jul 2024 20:15
- Last Sunday 14:10