Though I love Dougie Maclean’s song celebrating his homeland, I began to think about changes across the UK and felt it needed updating. The main change being our great racial and cultural mix. When I was a kid, a black or brown face was rare, but now, thankfully, its common. Not only that but looking back at our own personal histories, we find all kinds of surprises. My own ancestors, that I know of, came from Germany, Scotland and East Anglia but that’s not going back far.

Caledonia – original lyrics (part only)

I don’t know if you can see, the changes that have come over me
In these last few days, I’ve been afraid that I might drift away
And I’ve been tellin old stories, singing songs
That made me think about where I came from
And That’s the reason why I seem so far away today.

          Oh but let me tell you that I love you
          And I think about you all the time
          Caledonia your callin me and now I’m goin home
          But if I should become a stranger
          You know that it would make me more than sad
          Caledonia you’ve been everything I’ve ever had.

NEW BRITANNIA                

I don’t know if you can see, changes that have come over our country,

But I discovered that my gran was Irish as could be,

And grandad was a German refugee.

My Auntie came from Africa – my uncle Pakistan,

Seems I’m not really such an English man.

My great grandfather from Peru, married a girl from Timbuctoo,

Have to admit the way that I’ve wound up, just an ordinary mongrel pup,

Hardly know now what I’m gonna do.

But let me tell you that I love you, think about you all the time,

Britannia, you crazy home of mine.

Britannia, forever yours and mine

Down our street now you may see folk from all over the seven seas,

From high and low and in between,

Republicans and God save the queen.

Yet somehow we all seem to muck along,

And never mind about where we come from,

Still we sing this damned old silly song.

So sitting here, with rain a-falling, a government that’s quite appalling,

Never mind if we are sinking – it’s always been that way,

There never was a really good old days.

Down our streets now anywhere an international cuisine is there.

To remind us not to worry ‘bout the colour of your skin,

Anyone may be your kith or kin.

MB © 2019