Background

The words to "Blue Dawn" contain some references which it may be useful to clarify.

Luncarty is a village a few miles north of Perth, and the large textile mill there has sadly closed, only within the last three or four years, after many years providing linen for beds across Britain.

"Lovers pledging" refers to the delightful fact that couples could be married in Scotland over running water.

"Cruachan's heart" refers to Ben Cruachan which looks down over Loch Awe. A hydro-electric power station has been built deep inside the mountain.

map showing Luncarty

"As each day dawns blue" is a reference to Thomas Carlyle's famous poem "Today" which begins, challenging us to useful action, with the words "So here hath been dawning another blue day."
Carlyle was born in the Borders, at Ecclefechan, in 1795, becoming one of the most influencial writers of his age. The whole poem is reproduced on the "Today" page.

In "Flame of Destiny" there is another reference to a mill; but the one I had in mind this time is the Clark's mill in the heart of Paisley, a photograph of which appears alongside the words of the song.
The other photograph on the same page is of the Standing Stones near Kilmartin - not I hasten to add a deserted glen; but still highly evocative!

The chorus of the song "Heart of Scotland" has the words "And I declare its glory's in my freedom,/Its richness and its honour's being free./There's a world to face, but no prouder race,/For the heart of Scotland beats in me."
The reference, of course, is to the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath : "For it is not for glory or riches or honours that we fight, but for freedom alone ..." with the song suggesting that now, instead of the "auld enemy", there is a wider set of challenges to address.

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