Caber Feidh (pronounced “KAH-bur FAY”), Scottish Gaelic for “”Stag’s Antler”, is one of the great traditional pipe tunes of the Highland regiments, including the 48th Highlanders of Canada. Interestingly, the stag’s head and antlers are the emblem of the Clan MacKenzie, the motto of which is Cuidich ‘n Righ (pronounced “koo-jich un REE” ) … “Help the King”.
The tune itself dates back to the early 1700’s, when it first appeared as a fiddle tune. Highland pipe settings of the tune first appeared in the nineteenth century. By the time of the First World War, the tune was a standard element of nearly every Highland regiment’s pipe tune repertoire.
The tune gained fame during WW I when it was regularly played in battle conditions. For example, at the Battle of Loos in 1915, Caber Feidh was played by a piper of the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (Piper McLean), who exorted his fellow Highlanders with the battle cry “At them, lads” before piping his battalion over the top and into no man’s land during an attack.
You will regularly hear this tune being played by the Pipes and Drums. Its origins as a fiddle tune give it a distinctive structural rhythm with an aggressive, driving momentum. It’s that momentum which traditionally led to the use of the tune as a signal to charge the enemy in battle.
You can listen to this tune at the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCOEufYavhw
When you next hear it being played by the Pipes and Drums, perk up, steady yourself, and get ready for the attack!
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