|
[people speaking quietly]
[RS] Did you hear that at the front? Once again,
for you folks comin in late, our judges this afternoon, Charlie
Allen and Doris Rougvie. [applause] And the first contestant,
this is the big ballad, Elizabeth Stewart.
01
[ES] Well I'd like to sing
The Cruel Brother, or Two Pretty Boys. Tells the story, it's
aboot two brithers who the oldest one, they were half brithers
and the oldest one was egged on by his stepmither tae kill
the young boy, the younger brither. It's a sixteenth-century
ballad.
Oh two pretty boys, they were gaun to school,
And in the evenin comin home,
Said the biggest boy to the littlest boy,
Oh can you throw a stone?
Oh can you throw a stone?
Oh I can neither throw a stone,
And its little can I play at the ba,
But if you go down to the merry green wood,
I will try you a wrestlin fall,
I will try you a wrestlin fall.
So they went down to this merry green wood ,
To try a wrestlin fall.
Big brother John took out his little penknife,
And stabbed William to the ground,
And stabbed William to the ground.
Oh you tak aff your white linen shirt,
And you'll tear it fae gore tae gore,
And you'll a wrap it roon the wound ,
And the blood will come no more,
And the blood will come no more.
So he took off his white linen shirt,
And he tore it fae gore tae gore,
And he a wrapped it roon the wound ,
And the blood came ten times more,
And the blood came ten times more.
Oh what will your dear father think,
This night when you don't go home?
Tell him I go to London school,
And like a good boy I'll come home,
And like a good boy I'll come home.
And what will your dear stepmither think,
This night when you don't go home?
Tell her the last prayers she prayed for me,
That I would ne'er come home,
That I would ne'er come home.
[applause]
[RS] Elizabeth Stewart!…
02
Our first competitor is George
Barclay. George [applause]. Are ye takin two together George.
Fit are ye startin wi?
[GB] Eh, Buchan Vet, bothy ballad.
[RS] Bothy ballad for a start, The Buchan Vet,
and then traditional ballad…. Number one in this section,
George Barclay [applause].
[GB] The Buchan Vet
Noo it's doon in a wee toon in Buchan,
I've practised for near forty year,
I'm the man that's aye saucht when yer horse or yer nowt,
Are lookin a wee bittie queer.
So if ye see a stirk in the neuk o a park,
Wi hair up and its lugs hingin doon,
At eence tell yer plooman tae jump on his bike,
And get the best vet in the toon.
So if yer aul horse or yer coo is in pain,
Yer duty I see its quite plain,
Jist e send for me, and I'll guarantee ,
It'll never need a fairrier again.
Noo ae nicht wi ma gig and ma sheltie,
I wis daunderin hame afore dark.
Oh I'd haen a guid dram, mebbe twa, mebbe three!
When I sa Mains gan throw's tattie park.
Oh I cried a 'Fine nicht!', but he nivver took heed,
So I swore and I ca'd him a feel,
But a fun oot naixt day, I'd been wastin ma win,
Twas a scarecraw stuck up on a dreel.
So if yer aul horse or yer coo is in pain,
Yer duty I see its quite plain,
Jist e send for me, and I'll guarantee ,
It'll never need a fairrier again.
Noo ae nicht as I passed the auld kirkyard,
I thocht that I heard a queer soun,
So I stoppit ma shelt and gaed in ower the dyke,
And I hid a guid look roon and roon.
Fae a new howkit grave come a voice that I kint,
Oh says I tae masel, noo yer trappit,
Says the voice, Oh I'm caul but I shieled and a yird,
Ye'll be warmer says I eence ye're happit.
So if yer aul horse or yer coo is in pain,
Yer duty I see its quite plain,
Jist e send for me, and I'll guarantee ,
It'll never need a fairrier again.
[applause]
[RS] Just check afore ye start.
03
[GB] The Trampin Lass
As I gaed oot ae summer's nicht, tae hae a wee
bit stroll,
Nae thinkin o the oors gan by at I wandered by the toll,
I wisnae ower lang by the toll, fan Corbie's burn I passed,
Aye and fit de ye think at I met there, but a bonnie wee trampin
lass.
Oh far are ye gan? Gie me yer haun, foo ye
daein says I?
Haud up yer heid my bonnie wee lass and dinna look sae shy.
Far dae ye bide? Far dae ye stay? Come tell tae me yer name.
Dae ye think yer faither'd be angry noo if I were tae see
ye hame?
She said that she wis workin doon in the maltin
fields,
Trampin banks o Corbie[?] and likin it unco weel.
She said she hid ten bob a wik, and wisnae on fu time,
Says I, my lass, fit maitters is that soon ye will be mine.
Oh far are ye gan? Gie me yer haun, foo ye
daein says I?
Haud up yer heid my bonnie wee lass and dinna look sae shy.
Far dae ye bide? Far dae ye stay? Come tell tae me yer name.
Dae ye think yer faither'd be angry noo if I were tae see
ye hame?
Noo that we are mairried, we're as happy as
can be,
Twa little lassies by wir side and a laddie on wir knee.
I aften stroll doon by the toll fan I think o the days gan
past,
But as lang's I live, I'll ne'er forget ma bonnie wee trampin
lass.
Oh far are ye gan? Gie me yer haun, foo ye
daein says I?
Haud up yer heid my bonnie wee lass and dinna look sae shy.
Far dae ye bide? Far dae ye stay? Come tell tae me yer name.
Dae ye think yer faither'd be angry noo if I were tae see
ye hame?
[applause]
[RS] Once again, George Barclay! [applause]
04
Traditional ballad is Sarah
Simpson. Is Sarah here now? Sarah? Fine…. Sarah Simpson
o Turriff [applause]. What's your traditional ballad?
[SS] Yella's on the Broom.
[RS] Yella's on the Broom. Ladies and gentlemen.
[SS] Yella's on the Broom
I ken ye dinna like it, lass, tae linger here
in toon,
For the scaldies aye miscry us and they try tae bring us doon;
It's hard to raise three bairns in a single flea-box room,
But I'll tak ye on the road again fen yella's on the broom.
Fen yella's on the broom, fen yella's on the
broom
But I'll tak ye on the road again, fen yella's on the broom.
The scaldies cry us 'tinker lads', and they
sconce our wee weans in school,
Who cares what a scaldie thinks, cause a scaldy's just a fool;
He's nivver heard the yorlin's cry, nor seen the flax in bloom,
Cause they're aye cooped up in hooses, fen the yella's on
the broom.
Fen yella's on the broom, fen yella's on the
broom
But I'll tak ye on the road again, fen yella's on the broom.
Nae sale for pegs nor baskets noo, so just keep's
alive,
We hae tae work at scaldie jobs fae nine o' clock till five;
But we'll ca nae man oor maister cause we own the world's
room,
And we'll bid fareweel tae Brechin fen yella's on the broom.
Fen yella's on the broom, fen yella's on the
broom
But I'll tak ye on the road again, fen yella's on the broom.
I'm longing for the springtime, lass, tae see
the road eence mair,
Tae the plantin and the pearlin and the berryfields o Blair;
Wi a' meet up wi oor kinfolks, fae a' the country roon,
When the gan aboot fowks tak tae the road fen yella's on the
broom.
Fen yella's on the broom, fen yella's on the
broom
But I'll tak ye on the road again, fen yella's on the broom.
[applause]
[RS] Are you going to do the second one?
[CA] Ye're nae needin the haill? list, because,
we're daein, I'm daein the bothy ballads and Doris is doing
the traditional ballads.
[RS] The information you get when you come in
here. You are daein the bothy ballads and Doris will do
[CA] That's right.
[RS] Well. Sorry.
05
[SS]
Come a' ye jolly plooman lads at work amon the grun,
And listen tae ma story if ye wint tae hae some fun;
I'm nae sae young's I used tae be, some say I've haen ma fling,
But I feel just like a five year aul fen I begin tae sing.
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay,
I'll ca yer horse, I'll sort yer nowt, I'll big a ruck o strae;
I'm as happy's a lark fae dawn tae dark, singin a' the day,
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay.
At Ellon feein market, noo listen fit I say,
A mannie speir't gin I could work a pair a ten oor day;
Or if I could full muck wi a man, he fairly gart me gape,
Says I, auld man far I come fae, we full mak wi a graip.
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay,
I'll ca yer horse, I'll sort yer nowt, I'll big a ruck o strae;
I'm as happy's a lark fae dawn tae dark, singin a' the day,
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay.
I bothied for a sax month at a place we ca'd
Balcairn,
Fan I gaed hame the bothy lads they took me for a bairn;
Wi horny hauns, they ate biled spuds, the bothy fleer they
happit,
Wi sharnie beets I trampit the spuds, and said I like mine
chappit.
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay,
I'll ca yer horse, I'll sort yer nowt, I'll big a ruck o strae;
I'm as happy's a lark fae dawn tae dark, singin a' the day,
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay.
The nicht I mairried Mary-Ann I got maist affa
fu,
Fan the minister startit tae tie the knot there wis a how-d'ye-do;
He said, young man, fit is yer name and have ye got the ring?
Ye should hae seen the mannie's face fan I began tae sing.
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay,
I'll ca yer horse, I'll sort yer nowt, I'll big a ruck o strae;
I'm as happy's a lark fae dawn tae dark, singin a' the day,
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay.
[applause]
[RS] Sarah!
Barbara-Ann Burnett. [applause].
06
[BAB]
There's a fairm toon up in Cairnie, it's kent baith far and
wide,
It's ca'd the Hash o Drumdelgie on bonny Deveronside;
It's five o'clock that we get up and hurry doon the stair,
Tae get wir horses corned and fed, likewise tae straik their
hair.
Aifter an oor at the stable, each tae the kitchie
goes,
Tae get started tae oor brakfast, which is generally brose;
We've scarcely got wir brose weel supped and gien wir pints
a tie,
Fin the grieve he says, 'hello my lads ye'll be nae langer
nigh'
At sax o' clock the mull's put on tae gie us
a' stracht work,
And twa o us his tae work at it, till ye could ring oor sark;
At acht o' clock the mull's taen aff and we hurry doon the
stair,
Tae get some quarters through the fan till daylicht dis appear.
The cloods begin tae gently lift, the sky begins
tae clear,
An the grieve he says, 'hallo my lads, ye'll be nae langer
here';
It's sax o ye'll gang tae the ploo and sax tae ca the neeps,
An the owsen'll be efter ye fan they get on their feet.
Fin pittin on the harness and drawin oot tae
yoke,
The drift gang on sae very thick that we was like tae choke;
The drift gang on sae very thick the ploo she widnae go,
Its then wir cairtin did commence among the frost and snow.
Drumdelgie keeps a Sunday skweel he thinks it
is bit richt,
Tae teach the young and the innocent the way for to dae richt;
So fare ye weel, Drumdelgie, I'll bid ye a adieu,
And I'll leave ye as I got ye, a maist unceevil crew.
[applause]
07
[BAB] I'm going to continue
wi The Alford Cattle Show. It's got a good chorus.
I'll ne'er forget the mornin fin the fairmer
said, noo loon,
Ye'll get aul Bess a' deckit up and tae Alford ye'll gae doon,
Wi horse in fancy harness I think we'll hae a go ,
Tae try and win the first prize at the Alford cattle show.
So if you want excitement, and you'd like tae
hae a go,
Just come alang, enjoy the fun, at the Alford Cattle Show.
We set oot on the stroke o nine, aul Bess wis
like a queen,
Her tail a tied in bonnie plaits, her skin wis fair asheen,
But I heard ae lad remarking, she hisnae lang tae go,
As Bess and I proceeded tae the Alford Cattle show.
So if you want excitement, and you'd like tae
hae a go,
Just come alang, enjoy the fun, at the Alford Cattle Show.
Noo fin I landed at the park, I hid a look aroon,
And I met in wi the foreman, fae a place they ca'd Asloun;
He said, ye dinna staund a chance, I said, weel that's nae
so,
For we hope to win the first prize at the Alford cattle show.
So if you want excitement, and you'd like tae
hae a go,
Just come alang, enjoy the fun, at the Alford Cattle Show.
Ye nivver sa sic bonny beasts as whit I saw
that day,
There wis prize bulls up fae Clunies, bra stotts fae Corsindae;
Oh there wis sic a lot tae see there, I'm sure I dinnae know,
Fit wey fowks dinna gang tae see the Alford cattle show.
So if you want excitement, and you'd like tae
hae a go,
Just come alang, enjoy the fun, at the Alford Cattle Show.
Noo I got a rude awakenin, aul Bess took second
prize,
And jist tae show she wisnae pleased, laid doon an widnae
rise,
But I thocht I'd better dae ma bit, to show I wisnae slow,
So I entered for the sports events at the Alford Cattle Show.
So if you want excitement, and you'd like tae
hae a go,
Just come alang, enjoy the fun, at the Alford Cattle Show.
Noo aifter I wis dennert, I strippit tae the
sark,
And jined in a the races jist for a wee bit lark,
But the obstacles fair baet me, and my face wis fair aglow,
For I tent ma breeks gin throw a bag at the Alford Cattle
Show.
So if you want excitement, and you'd like tae
hae a go,
Just come alang, enjoy the fun, at the Alford Cattle Show.
But I didnae let that incident upset my happy
day,
And aifter some refreshment I was feelin kinda gay.
So fan the band struck up a waltz, I thocht I'd hae a go,
So oxtered up aul Feuchie's deem at the Alford Cattle Show.
So if you want excitement, and you'd like tae
hae a go,
Just come alang, enjoy the fun, at the Alford Cattle Show.
Noo as the nicht wis wearin on, I said, noo
Mary Jane,
I'd like tae hae the last waltz and then I'll see ye hame,
But that wis my undoin, and I'd like ye a' to know,
We git married nae lang efter that Alford Cattle Show.
So if you want excitement, and you'd like tae
hae a go,
Just come alang, enjoy the fun, at the Alford Cattle Show.
[applause]
[RS] Traditional ballad. Are you doing them
both together?
08
[??] I'll dae the bothy ballad
first. Och maybe I will. Is that aright? Like em baith thegither.
Well good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I'll dae The Buchan
Plooman.
Come a ye jolly plooman lads at work amon the
grun,
Come listen tae ma story if ye wint tae hae some fun;
I'm nae sae young as a I used tae be, some say I've hid ma
fling,
But I feel just like a five year aul fen I begin tae sing.
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay,
I'll ca yer horse, I'll sort yer nowt, I'll big a ruck o strae;
I'm as happy's a lark fae dawn tae dark, singin a' the day,
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay.
At Ellon feein market, come listen fit I say,
A mannie speir't gin I could work a pair a ten oor day;
Or gin I could full muck wi a man, he fairly gart me gape,
Says I, auld man far I come fae, we full muck wi a graip.
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay,
I'll ca yer horse, I'll sort yer nowt, I'll big a ruck o strae;
I'm as happy's a lark fae dawn tae dark, singin a' the day,
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay.
I bothied for a sax month at a place they ca'd
Balcairn,
Fan I gaed hame the bothy lads they took me for a bairn,
Wi horny hauns, they ate biled spuds, the bothy fleer they
happit,
Wi sharnie beets I tramped the spuds and said I like mine
chappit.
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay,
I'll ca yer horse, I'll sort yer nowt, I'll big a ruck o strae;
I'm as happy's a lark fae dawn tae dark, singin a' the day,
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay.
The nicht I mairried Mary-Ann I got maist affa
fu,
Fan the minister started tae tie the knot there wis a how-d'ye-do;
He said, what is your name my man and have ye got the ring?
Ye should hae seen the mannie's face fan I began tae sing.
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay,
I'll ca yer horse, I'll sort yer nowt, I'll big a ruck o strae;
I'm as happy's a lark fae dawn tae dark, singin a' the day,
Oh lalta-faloora-lido, toora-loora-lay.
[applause]
I'll hae a break Robbie. I'll come back.
09
[RS] Are you daein baith?
[TR] No, no. Separate.
[RS] I dinnae ken fit wey the hell I'm here
noo! [laughs]
[TR] My god, I've a richt lot o pals. Hivn't
I. There's neen o them here noo! [laughs] Fit wis I gan tae
dae again.
[RS] It's the bothy ballad. Traditional ballad
first.
[TR] Is there a difference?
[RS] Cairry on.
[TR] There's nae really. At's been proved.
There's joy a' roon the banks o Don,
And up the glens o Dee,
Wir sax months wages nearly won,
So the plooman they'll run free.
The market morn is here again,
The same as mony mair,
So we'll dannle awa wi the mornin train,
Tae muckle Friday fair.
Gaen ten o' clock the Castlegate,
It's in an unco steer,
And ilkae meenit as we wyte,
Mair billies do appear.
Doon Union Street and roon the Queen,
Big croods assemble there,
For hundreds come fae Aiberdeen,
Tae muckle Friday fair.
The fairmers staun ootside the croods,
Wi topcoats ower their airms,
Tae pick and chise amon the loons,
Tae suit their different fairms.
Oh some o them are in their prime,
But some are frail and sair,
But a deal a mony them nivver miss,
A muckle Friday fair.
But noo the maisters and their men,
They're athegither mixed,
The sower socht, the yarls taen,
In mony's a puir loon fixed.
Oh some tae bile wi stirks and stotts,
And some tae ca a pair,
And kirns were getting nineteen knots,
At muckle Friday fair.
Lang syne, some twenty years or mair,
In a' the glens aroon,
Nae wife nor lassie thocht tae miss,
Her market day in toon.
But noo sic things are oot o date,
The world's altered sair,
And no man body you'll hardly see,
At muckle Friday fair.
The maids we met in Union Street,
Were clad in bricht array,
Like butterflees in sunshine's heat,
Upon a simmer's day.
We gaudy dress and poodered face,
But yet they'll nae compare,
Wi the rosie-cheekit country lass,
At muckle Friday fair.
But here's health tae a' you country lads,
Enjoy ??? yer work,
And if yer maisters use ye weel,
I'm sure ye'll dae yer work.
And may yer hairt be licht and free,
Frae ony worldly care,
And I hope ye get a decent fee,
At muckle Friday fair.
[applause]
[TR] Got to go, get's in amon athing. Div I
dae my ither sang noo?
[RS] If ye wint till. Up to you.
[TR] And if I dinna wint till, fit happens?
[RS] Well, ye can come back.
[CA] Oh get on wi't.
[TR] Oh aye, the morn? [Laughs] Weel weel, there
seems tae be a wee bittie o fun amon bothy ballads and traditional
singin. And I dinna ken which is which.
[CA] This is your traditional een coming up
now [laughs].
[TR] Of course, this is whaur education sets
in [laughs]. And I've got neen o it.
1o
Twas on a chill November's
night, when fruits and flowers were gone,
One evening as I wandered forth upon the banks o Don,
I overheard a fair maid, and sweetly this sang she,
My love he's far fae Sinnehard and fae Drumallochie.
Oh Peter was my true love's name, he lived on
the banks o Don,
He was as nice as a young man that ere the sun shone on,
But the cruel wars o Scotland they hae pairted him fae me,
And noo he's far fae Sinnehard and fae Drumallochie.
I said, my pretty fair maid, oh ye're walkin
here alone,
Lamentin for some absent one upon the banks o Don,
Come tell the reason o yer grief, come tell it a' tae me,
And why ye sigh for Sinnehard and fae Drumallochie.
She said my pretty fair maid, ye're walkin here
alone,
Did I sing that verse a'ready?
[CA] Yes.
[TR] Ah hah! It shows yer payin attention [laughs].
I said my pretty fair maid, now yer walkin here
alone,
Lamentin for some absent one upon the banks o Don,
Come tell the reason o yer grief, come tell it a' tae me,
And why ye sigh for Sinnehard and fae Drumallochie.
I said my pretty fair maid,
am I gan tae start the same verse again? Ah, ye might be right.
Ask Charlie Allen, he'll tell ye.
[CA] I've nae idea? Sing the same verse a few
times…. [applause].
[TR] Oh na no. I didn't have ??? twice [laughs].
I said my pretty fair maid, now ye'll give to
me your hand,
For on the bonny banks o Spey, I hae baith hoose and land,
And I will share it a wi you if you will be bride,
And you'll forsake the bonny lad that lived upon Donside.
Says she, kind sir, yer offer's good but I must
it deny,
And for the sake o my true love, I may live and die,
And for the space o sivven years when black shall cover me,
For him who lived at Sinnehard and fae Drumallochie.
But since my love was weepin, oh I could no
longer stand,
I clasped her in my airms and says, o Betsy know your man,
Behold your faithful Peter now, he's free fae every care,
And on the bonny banks o Don, we made tae pairt nae mair.
Aye and on the bonny banks o Dona, we [made tae pairt nae
mair].
[RS] Hamish?
11
[HL]
It's sax month come Mairtinmas I fee'd in Turra toon,
They say that I wis the bra'est chiel in a' the country roon,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
Wullie come an fee'd me, Robbie nivver spoke,
Tae come and ca the second pair at the Hash o Benagoak,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
Wir foreman's like a constable, he nivver fa's
asleep,
It's up and doon the lang rig, and nivver slacks a theet,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
The second horseman, at's masel, I ca' a pair
o broons,
Raisin ??? in the foreman's heels, I fairly keep ma roons,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
The third comes fae Fogieloan, he's a pinted
chiel,
His horse and his harness they're aye a lookin weel,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
Sharnie 't is the baillie, he's a sturdy chiel,
It's roon aboot the kittlie neuks he gars the barra reel,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
Wi hae an orra man, and he's ??? the ploo,
There's aye plenty orra jobs, and files there's neeps tae
pu,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
Wullie rises in the mornin, he gies the door
a crash,
Hauls from oot aneth his pickie, says I think we'll hae a
thrash,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
Wi hae an orra man, and he's ??? the ploo,
There's aye plenty orra jobs, and files there's neeps tae
pu,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
Wullie rises in the mornin, he gies the door
a crash,
Hauls from oot aneth his pickie, says I think we'll hae a
thrash,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
Come a' ye jolly horseman, ye'll ging tae the
ploo,
The orra lad tae ca the neeps and Sharnie pullin fu,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
Wullie, he's a brither, he's a' wrang amon the
feet,
Tae see him walk aboot the close, he nearly gars ye greet,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
Syne they hiv a sister, she's ???,
Faith she keeps the kitchie billies unco scant o maet,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
We hae a sonsie kitchie deem, her name is Betty
Broon,
I'll sweir tae tak a saiddle girth her middle tae gang roon,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
Noo the author o this canty lay, if ye wint
it tae be known,
Jist spier ye at the herrin boats at the pier o Fogieloan,
Wi a ring dum day, ring dum a day, ring dum diddle dum, a
dandy-o.
[applause]
12
[HL]
I've traivelled this country baith early and late,
Amon the young lassies, I've hid mony a long seat,
Crawlin hame in the mornin when I should be at ease,
Fan I wis a plooboy in Airlin's fine braes.
The first thing I did fan I gaed tae yon toon,
Wis tae corn ma horses and rub them weel doon,
Syne awa tae the stable and shift aff a' ma claes,
And get oot a rovin on Airlin's fine braes.
The first thing I did fan I gaed tae yon toon,
oh, sorry.
It's mony a nicht I hae gaen tae yon toon,
It's mony a nicht I hae watched the loon,
Sit darnin his stockins and mendin his claes,
Fan I wis a plooboy on Airlin's fine braes.
Among the bonny lassies I sat by the fire,
Sometimes the barn, and sometimes the byre,
Chattin a' the nicht wi them, fan I should hae been at ease,
Fan I was a-rovin on Airlin's fine braes.
I crept up tae their window and sae gently I
kneel,
Fan the girlies fan they see me, they spring tae their heels,
They spring tae their heel, and they pit on their claes,
Sayin, here's the wild rover fae Airlin's fine braes.
A' the day long as I gae in the yoke,
My mind is containin some rovin exploit,
Expectin good prospects fan I should be at ease,
Fan I wis a plooboy on Airlin's fine braes.
At maet time the mistress, she yokes upon me,
Says, laddie ye'd be better gan ye let them a' be,
Ye'll mind on my words fen ye come tae auld age,
Ye'll nae aye be a plooboy on Airlin's fine braes.
It's mony's a fair maid I've left ower tae
sigh,
Sayin far is the laddie that he nivver comes by,
I'll awa tae ma bed and lie doon at my ease,
Since yon hard-hairted plooboy's left Airlin's fine braes.
So come a' ye rovin plooboys, tik a warnin fae
me,
Nivver follow young wimmin fariver ye may be,
For they will entice ye fan they pit on bra claes,
And set ye a-rovin in Airlin's fine braes.
[applause]
13
[ES]
Right is een is, it's a Bothy Ballad, and it's either Halflin
or Brose, tak yer pick.
I wis only a laddie fan I left ma hame,
And I fee'd tae be orra man doon at Killglen,
It wis a big change for a laddie like me,
Tae get brose tae ma brakfast, ma denner and tea.
Noo brose in the mornin its a very weel,
They dinnae need cha'in, the milk ye can sweel,
But at dennertime, losh, I wid raither haen bree,
Than the brose tae ma brakfast, ma denner and tea.
At nicht I wis hungry fan I gaed tae ma bed,
And I dreamt aboot bannocks and butter instead
But aye in the mornin I wakkened tae see,
The brose tae ma brakfast, ma denner and tea.
At the ploo I made picters o platefaes o neeps,
And winnered foo lang on the brose they wid keeps,
But fan lowsin time come, wi a tear in ma ee.
I gaed in tae the brose tae ma denner and tea.
In the lang simmer day at the castin the peats,
I wis sometimes that famished I could etten ma beets,
I nibbled at carrots, I'll nae tell a lee,
It's a lang time on brose tween yer denner an tea.
Noo that wis the wey at I fell in wi Jean,
She wis kitchie at Killie's, barely turned sixteen,
She took peety and sometimes, a cookie she'd gie's,
As a change tae the brose atween ma denner and tea.
Noo they say that the wey till the hairt o
a man,
Is tae feed him jist up as best as ye can,
Mebbe Jeanie thocht that for she said she'd agree,
Tae gie's brose tae ma brakfast but nae tae ma tea.
And there's fowk that have thriven and huddin
and hose,
And plenty'll sweer by a bowl fae o brose,
I dinna misdoot it, but fit aboot three,
Bowls o brose tae yer breakfast, yer denner and tea.
[applause]
14
[PS] Erm. I thought I would
take this opportunity to do a bothy ballad that's particularly
known in Fife. I know Greig-Duncan collection only collected
a small amount of it, so it probably drifted north a bit,
but not very much. It dates from the 1840s when the event
took place that's related in the ballad. It's got a nice chorus,
unless I repeat the verses as well. I'll try not to.
Oh hae ye heard o Tattie Jock, likewise o Mutton
Peggy,
They had a fairm in the north o Fife and the name o it was
Craigie.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
There were ten pair upon that place, likewise
ten able men,
It's five they gaed tae kinnle the fire, and the other five
oot tae scran.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
Three months we served wi Tattie Jock, and weel
we did agree,
Till we found oot that the tattie shed could be opened wi
the bothy key.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
We werenae lang in the tattie shed, oor bags
were hardly fill,
When Tattie Jock, in ahint the door, cries aye my lads stand
still!
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
The first he got was Willie Marr, the next wis
Sandy Doo,
There wis Jimmy Gray and Will Moncur, but Jimmy Pedrie[?]
flew.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
Next day some o us were at the dung, and some
were at the mill,
But better we'd been at the ploo, at the back o Pickley Hill.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
For he sent for ten big polismen, but nine there
only come,
It dinged them for tae tak us that nicht, us bein ten able
men.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
Well the hinmaist lad wis the wisest lad, the
best lad o us a',
For he joined the man-o-war ship at Leith, so's he'd needna
stand the law.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
When we were getting oor sentences, we a' stood
roond and roond,
But when we heard the fourteen years, the tears come a tricklin
doon.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
When Tattie Jock he heard o this, he sighed
and grat fu sore,
A thoosan guineas he would gie if that would pay the score.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
A bag o gowd he did produce, to pay it there
and then,
But the lawyer only told him, he couldnae clear his men.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
When we were bein marched up through Perth we
heard the newsboys say,
It's sad tae see sic able men, parade off to Botany Bay.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
When we arrive in Botany Bay, some letters we
will send,
Tae tell oor freends the hardship we endure in a foreign land.
Singin ha riddle da, roorum-dido, ha riddle
da, roorum-day.
[applause]
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