Caledonia

Caledonia is a modern Scottish folk ballad written by Dougie MacLean in 1977.[1] The chorus of the song features the lyric “Caledonia, you’re calling me, and now I’m going home”,[2] the term “Caledonia” itself being a Latin word for Scotland. “Caledonia” has been covered by various artists, and is often dubbed Scotland’s “unofficial national anthem”. MacLean wrote the song in less than 10 minutes on a beach in Brittany, France, feeling homesick for Scotland. He said: “I was in my early 20s and had been busking around with some Irish guys. I was genuinely homesick. I’d always lived in Perthshire. I played it to the guys when I got back to the youth hostel where we were staying and that was the final straw – we all went home the next day.” He adds: “It took about 10 minutes but sometimes that’s how songs happen. I’m still amazed at how much it has become part of common culture. There’s not a pub singer, busker or pipe band that doesn’t play it.” The song is very similar in its sentiments to a much earlier song called “Jean and Caledonia”. “Caledonia” was first recorded by MacLean and published in his 1979 joint album credited to Alan Roberts and Doug MacLean that also carried the title Caledonia.