A traditional song brought up to date by friend and singer songwriter Peter Kay who kindly allows me to perform it. Al Coy guitar, bass and vocals, Steph Elder cello. The photo is of a Royal Welsh Fusilier wearing the White Hackle of his regiment.
folkanti warprotest
The White Cockade is a traditional British anti recruiting song. The cockade in question was a knot of white ribbons adorning the bonnets of Jacobite soldiers, supporters of the Stuart cause.
Much more recently, about five years ago, Peter got talking to some young soldiers just back from foreign parts who were wearing a white hackle (a plume of feathers) in their bonnets. Heavily sunburned and with a haunted look in their eyes, they'd just got back from somewhere hot and sandy; he guessed Afghanistan.
Peter was moved to write this powerful anti war song which highlights the duplicitous nature of our political, so-called, leaders. It is a privilege that he allows me to sing and record it.
