Paul McCartney with 78th Regiment Band, Halifax NS
One of the many emotional high points of the night
Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, July 13, 2009
Nova Scotians, Scots and ex-patriot sons had their hearts stirred by Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney in Halifax, Nova Scotia on July 11, 2009.
If you’re not a Scot then you no doubt wished you were when the swirl of bag pipes and drums started in the middle of the song. The 78th Highland Regimental Band marched on stage in all their glory. Listen to the audience roar – we went wild. McCartney was smart to take the 78th’s suggestion of playing on stage.
The 78th Highland Regiment is stationed at the Halifax Citadel and have a proud history.
Paul McCartney’s bagpipe-based ‘Mull of Kintyre’ was his biggest ever hit. The 1977 single sold over 2 million copies, outstripping anything he had achieved with the Beatles and created the highest selling bagpipe track of all time. A Solo Highland Piper
I don’t know about you but I have a Scottish grandmother and was raised on pipe bands. It brought a tear to the eye and a joy to the heart to hear McCartney sing this. I forgot the camera was rolling and sang along with everyone at first.
If you ever get the chance, go to the Highland Games in Nova Scotia for great pipe and band music. For those who really like the pipes, try the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo which runs early July each year. The Tattoo is once in a lifetime experience that I want to repeat again.
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