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01
[PS] The story that goes behind that is also quite interesting,
if you don't mind me extending this a couple of seconds. Because
the story goes that Tattie Jock, no one would work for him
after that. Although he very much regretted the whole thing.
And one of them, about fourteen years later, someone comes
into the farm he was then working at and said 'Do you remember
me', and Tattie Jock said no. And the man reached down to
his big stone with a ring in it, and with his pinkie picked
it up and of course the tears came to his eyes, because he
realised it was the man, one of the fourteen that had been
transported as a result of what he done, catching him in the
bothy shed. And the story also goes that underneath that stone
was the money that the man had left behind, because he knew
he was the only person who could lift the stone. But it's
definitely historical anyway, there we are.
Now there's another song, if
I can get through it [coughs]. I thought I'd take this opportunity
again to sing another rather unusual ballad. I've only ever
heard this once, quite a number of years ago from an eighty
year old man by the name of Duncan Johnstone who was a great
piper in Dunkeld. And the ballad was taken across by British
emigrants, Scottish emigrants to the States, and it's been
collected many times over there, but it's not at all common
any more in Scotland. So here's a chance to hear it….
That was a bothy ballad the
last one. Well I mean what else could you call it. Well it's
traditional maybe. Right here we go. This is a story about
a man who really takes the wrong advice. He's in love with
one girl, but eh, he asked his mother who he should marry
- the wrong thing to do.
Riddle me, riddle me dear mother, he says,
Riddle me, all alone-o,
Whether should I marry the dun broon bride,
Or bring fair Annie home-o.
The dun broon bride, she's horse and kye,
Fair Annie, she's got need-o,
So if ye tak yer auld mother's advice,
Ye'd bring the dun bride home-o.
He's dressed himsel all in the green,
And his merry men all in white-o,
And every town that they come to,
They took him for a knight-o.
And when he come to fair Annie's gates,
He tinkled at the pin-o;
There wis none so ready as fair Annie herself,
Tae rise and let him in-o.
What news, what news Lord Thomas, she said,
What news would you tell me-o?
I am come tae bid ye tae ma weddin,
And that's that news for ye-o.
It's gey sad news to me, she said,
It's gey sad news to me-o;
It's gey sad news tae me, she said,
That should have been the bride hersel-o.
Oh riddle me, riddle me dear mother, she said,
Riddle me all alone-o,
Whether should I got to Lord Thomas's weddin,
Or should I stay at home-o.
Lord Thomas he has freends enough,
Fair Annie ye've got neen-o,
So if ye tak yer aul mither's advice,
You'd just now stay at home-o.
But she's dressed hersel all in the white,
And her merry maids all in green-o,
And every town that they come to,
They took for a queen-o.
She'd four and twenty milk white steeds,
To carry her like the wind-o;
She had four and twenty milk white swans,
Atwixt her and the sun-o.
And when she come to Lord Thomas's gates,
She tinkled at the pin-o;
There was none so ready as Lord Thomas himself,
Tae rise and let her in-o.
He's taen her by the milk white hand,
And led her through the hall-o;
He sat in her in a golden chair,
Amangst her merry maids all-o.
The dun broon bride had a wee penknife,
That hung down by her side-o,
And she rent it through,
(forgets words)
Up and spoke the dun broon bride,
And oh so bold says she-o,
Oh where did ye get that watery flower,
That washed you so white-o.
Up who then spoke, fair Annie dear,
And oh so bold says she-o,
I got it in my mother's womb,
Where you never saw such like-o.
And then the dun broon bride had a wee penknife,
That hung down by her side-o;
She's rent it through fair Annie's breast,
And ne'er a word she cried-o.
Lord Thomas he had a gey broadsward,
That hung down by his side-o,
And he rent it through the dun broon bride,
And ne'er a word she cried-o.
O dig a grave, Lord Thomas, he said,
And dig it wide and deep-o,
And bury fair Annie at my side,
And the dun bride at my feet-o.
[applause]
02
[ES] I dinna think is een
needs ony introduction, I'll jist start.
Doon yonder den there's a plooman lad,
In some summer's day he'll be a my ain.
An sin laddie o and sin laddie aye,
The plooman laddies are a' the go.
I love his teeth and I love his skin,
I love the very cairt he hurls in.
An sin laddie o and sin laddie aye,
The plooman laddies are a' the go.
Doon yonder den I could a got a millert,
But the smell o dust wis hae deen me ill.
An sin laddie o and sin laddie aye,
The plooman laddies are a' the go.
Doon yonder den I could a got a merchant,
But a' his things werenae worth a groat.
An sin laddie o and sin laddie aye,
The plooman laddies are a' the go.
I see him comin fae yonder toon,
Wi a his ribbons hingin roon and roon.
An sin laddie o and sin laddie aye,
The plooman laddies are a' the go.
And noo she's courtin her plooman lad,
Is fair as ever he left the ploo.
An sin laddie o and sin laddie aye,
The plooman laddies are a' the go.
An sin laddie o and sin laddie aye,
The plooman laddies are a' the go.
[applause]
03
Ower hills and through valleys
foo often I've gane,
Throw hedges and ditches and there be my lane;
Throw brambles and brushwood in darkness or clear,
Tae Widny, bonny Widny, I gang wi my dear.
It's nae the lang journey or the road I've tae
gang,
That maks my hairt weary, nor singin this sang;
Tis the leavin o Widny and I loo dear,
O Widny, bonny Widny, I'll miss ye I fear.
The young men o Widny, are a' rovin blades,
And they tak great pleasure in courtin fair maids;
They kiss them and cuddle them, and drink barley bree,
And the lang walks o Widny were waitin for me.
They drink and be merry, they drink and gang
hame,
They'd nae bide there langer tae get a bad name;
They get a bad name there an mak themsels fu,
And the lang walks o Widny were aye tae gang through.
Oh Widny, bonny Widny, a sad, sair adieu,
Fariver I wander, I'll aye think on you;
I'll think on ye kindly in some far foreign pairt,
And the lang walks o Widny will live in my hairt,
The lang walks o Widny will live in my hairt.
[applause]
04
[MJ]
Twis on a Martinmas market day, the snow lay on the ground,
Fan a fairmer he gaed up tae a lad and offered him ten pound,
But mine ye've neeps tae pluck an nowt tae muck, and a hunner
ither jobs forbye;
And seein the guid wife she's laid doon, ye widnae min milkin
the kye.
Up spoke the lad, oh he wis mad, Fit wis this
ye said?
That ye'd mak me a fairmer's loon intil a dairy maid.
Oh yer neeps I'll pluck, yer nowt I'll muck, an dae ony ither
jobs forbye,
But I'm blessed if I will undertake tae milk yer blimmin kye
Oh haud yer tongue, the fairmer said, and nae
mak sik a soun;
Here tak the shillin and say nae mair afore a crood githered
roon,
But min ye've neeps tae pluck an nowt tae muck, and a hunner
ither jobs forbye,
And if the guid wife she gets up I winna bid ye milk the kye.
Oh that's nae ees, the laddie said, but I've
heard that tale afore,
And I maun hae mair proof than that afore I enter yer door,
Or yer neeps I winna pluck, your nowt I winna muck, nor dae
ony ither jobs forbye,
Nor tak in hand tae be a dairy maid and milk yer bloomin kye.
We hiv a maid, the fairmer said, and she his
tae milk as weel,
Haud on, haud on, the laddie cried, man that's anither tale;
Oh yer neeps I'll pluck, yer nowt I'll muck, and dae ony ither
jobs forbye,
And if the maid, she gangs alang wi me, we'll very soon milk
yer kye.
The laddie arrived wi his pooches fu and a chackie
on his back,
And he spied the fairmer wi an ugly deem haein a quaet crack;
That'll be the guid wife, the laddie thocht, och I'm glaid
she's nae laid doon,
For I dinna want to start the milkin yet, afore I've seen
the toon.
My wife's nae baitter the fairmer said, but
this is oor dairy maid,
She'll help ye wi the milkin fan she's gotten yer supper laid;
Oh yer neeps ye can pluck, yer nowt ye can muck and dae ony
ither jobs forbye,
It's a wonner that a woman wi a face like that, she disnae
put yer coos a' dry,
Aye, she disnae put your coos a' dry.
[applause]
05
Ye may spik aboot yer lancers
or the Irish Fusiliers,
They Aiberdeen militia, or the Queen's Own Volunteers,
Or ony other regiment that's lyin far awa,
But gie tae me the tartan o the gallant forty-twa.
Oh wanderin throw the green parks on a summer
day,
Watchin a' the country quines workin at the hay,
I never could forget him, he stole my hairt awa,
Fan I sa him in the tartan o the gallant Forty-Twa.
Oh I never will forget the day the regiment
marched past,
The band it played a lively tune, my hairt it wis aghast,
And he turned roon and waved at me, and syne fae far awa,
He waved tae me the tartan o the gallant Forty-Twa.
Oh wanderin throw the green parks on a summer
day,
Watchin a' the country quines workin at the hay,
I never can forget him, though he be far awa,
He's my ain gallant, o the gallant Forty-Twa.
And wanderin throw the green parks on a summer
day,
Watchin a' the country quines workin at the hay,
He really did delight me, he stole my hairt awa,
Fan I sa him in the tartan o the gallant Forty-Twa.
Once again I heard the music o the pipers fae
afar,
They tramped and tramped, the weary men returnin fae the war,
I couldnae look at them but think o my ain laddie there,
Nae mair he'd wear the tartan o the gallant Forty-Twa.
Oh never mair we'll walk thegither on a summer
day,
He is lyin caul and still aneth the foreign clay,
I never will forget him, he's lyin far awa,
And nae mair he'll wear the tartan o the gallant Forty-Twa.
I never will forget him, though he be far awa!
[applause]
06
I've seen the hairst o Rettie
lads and twa-three on the throne,
I've heard o sax or sivven wiks the hairster's girn and groan,
But a covie, Wullie Rae, in a monthie and a day,
Gars a' the jolly Rettie blokes ging singin doon the brae.
Oh a monthie and a day my lads, the like wis
nivver seen,
It beats the sticks the faister strips o Vickers new machine,
A Speedwell noo brings up the rear, and a Victory clears the
way,
And twenty acres daily yields, nor stands tae Wullie Rae.
Oh he drives the horses roon the parks at sic
an awfu rate,
He hings them in and oot again, at mony's a kittle gate,
And whiles them safely over the clods and roon mony's a hidden
hole,
And he comes by na mishanter if ye leave him wi the pole.
Oh he sharps the blades tae mak them bite and
taps them on the ja's,
And if he sees them dowlie-like, he brawly kens the cause,
A boltie here, a pinnie there, a little oot o tune,
And he's shortly stops its wild career an brings the slushet
doon.
Oh he whittles aff the corners and maks crooked
bitties stracht,
And sees a man and beast alike are equal in the draft,
And a wir shavies lyin stracht and need o them agley,
He could count wi ony dominie fae the Deveron tae the Spey.
Oh he's nae made up o bonny words, nor kent
tae puff or lie,
He's jist a skinny little chap there's ever ye did see,
If ??? harvest hands upon a market day, tak my advice,
Be there on time, and look for Wullie Rae.
Noo he got wir shavies in aboot and a wir ruckies
ticht,
We gaither roon a festal board, tae spend a jolly nicht,
Wi Scottish song and mutton broth tae drive auld cares away,
Ye can drink success tae Rettie lads, and health to Wullie
Rae.
Oh come a' ye jolly Rettie blades, a ringin
cheer, hurrah,
A band o better workin folk, the gaffer nivver sa,
Sae eager aye tae play yer pairt and ready for the frae,
Twas you that made the boatie row, that wis steered by Willie
Rae.
07
There wis twa sisters, lived
in a bower,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
And there come a night tae be her wooer,
On the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
They courted the eldest wi glove and wi ring,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
But he did love the youngest een abeen a' thing,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
The eldest she wis vexed sair,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
But hersel bein sae grim fan the ither bein sae fair,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
Upon the mornin, cruelly and unfair,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
She called upon her sister dear,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
She took her by the lily white hand,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
And let her doon tae the deep river strand,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
The youngest steid upon a stane,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
The elder came up her back and danged her in,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
O sister, sister, rax oot yer haun,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
And I'll gie ye the haun o ma man,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
O sister, sister, rax oot yer glove,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
And sweet William shall be your true love,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
[forgets words]
Some times she sank, and sometimes she swam,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
Till she come tae the close o the meal miller's dam,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
What there come the meal miller's son ,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
And he sa this maid come zoomin in,
Tae the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
O faither, faither, teem oot yer dam,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
There's either a mermaid or a milk white swan,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
The millert he come oot and he'd teemt oot his
dam,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
And they pulled out this brown maiden,
Fae the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
And fan they looked at her bonny yella hair,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
It wis a covered wi jewels and gowd sae rare,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
By there come a harper fine,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
Who played to nobility while they dine,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
And when they looked that maiden upon,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
He sighed and made a very heavy moan,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
[forgets words]
He took three locks of her bonny yella hair,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
And wi them he strung this harp sae rare,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
And then the harp laid loud and clear,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
Fareweel my faither and my mither dear,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
And then the harp wis heard tae sing,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
Fare weel sweethairt loudest on the string,
By the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
And then as plain as plain could be,
Binnorie, oh binnorie;
There sits my sister at droont me,
In the bonny mill dams o Binnorie.
[applause]
08
[GE] Is is the Foreman o Drum, but fit a laddie got when he
gaed tae market.
At ae Mairtinmas Term, the grieve fae the Drum,
Tappit me an the shouder an spiert gin I'd come,
Tae wirk his first pair, for a winter half year ,
Wi a big cleekit horse an a ringle-ee'd meer.
There wis plenty o tools an the best o a squad,
Wis niver pitten oot fan the widder wis bad;
There wis a prize-takkin buul an great thumpers a kye;
An a bonnie young quine in the kitchie forbye.
Sae we newsed tae the nowt, and the horse an
the ploo
An he held on the drink till I gie near got fu;
Syne efter a half dizzen glesses o rum,
Like a gowk, I feed hame tae be foreman at Drum.
Ach, I'll niver forget the first nicht at the
Drum,
An Losh, I wish I niver hid come.
There wis hardly a bowster tae haud up ma heid,
An the snores o the loon wid hae wakkent the deid!
Noo, the baillie wis big, he'd a bed till himsel,
An it wis jist as weel, cause his feet hid a smell ,
Like a press full o cheese, oh my sic a hum!
There wis millions o fleas in the chaumer at Drum.
Noo the meer wis a kicker, an files she ran
aff,
An her horse wis as stiff's an aul man wi a staff,
But, Losh, you should heard fu the gaffer could bum,
That day he fee'd me tae gyan hame tae the Drum!
Syne the milk it wis blue an the porridge wis
thin -
Like a coord in a battle - aye willin tae rin!
The breid wis sae teuch an the scones wis sae raa,
Man, it took near a yokin wir brakfast tae chaa!
An Babbie, the skiffy, she wis brosie an big,
She'd a gleck kin o ee, an I'll sweir she'd a wig,
Her face an her hauns wir aye black as the lum;
Nae winner the lads widna fee tae the Drum.
Ach, I'll niver forget the first nicht at the
Drum,
An Losh, I wish I niver hid come;
The grieve wis a twister, his wife nae half-come,
Ach, I'll aye rue the day I feed hame tae the Drum.
[applause]
09
Noo uptil aboot aichteen
sixty, if ye punched a salmon or a grouse affa the moor, ye
wis lockit up and deported. So this is Jimmy Raeburn. My god
it wis harsh times at at time.
Jimmy Raeburn
My name is Jimmy Raeburn, fae Glesgae toon I
came;
My place o habitation I hid tae leave in shame,
Fae my place o habitation noo I maun gang awa,
And leave the bonny hills and dales o Caledonia.
It wis early in the mornin, afore the dawn o
day,
Oor keeper he came roon tae us and unto us did say,
Arise ye hapless convicts, arise ye een and a',
This is the day that ye maun stray fae Caledonia.
We mounted the coach and wir hairts were full
o grief,
Our parents, wives and sweethairts could grant us no relief;
Our parents, wives and sweethairts their hairts were broke
in twa,
Tae see us leave the hills and dales o Caledonia.
Fairweel my aged mother, I'm grieved for what
I've done,
I hope there's none cast up to you the race that I hae run;
The Lord he will protect ye when I am far awa,
Far, far frae a the hills and dells o Caledonia.
Fair weel my honest father, ye are the best
o men,
Likewise my ain true sweethairt, it's Catherine is her name;
Nae mair we'll walk by Clyde's clear streams or by the Broomielaw,
Nor see again the hills and dales o Caledonia.
If we nivver meet on earth again, we'll meet
in heaven above
Where hallelujah's will be sung to him wha reigns is in love;
Nae earthly judge shall judge us then, but he wha ruleth all,
Far, far fae all the hills and dales o Caledonia,
Far frae the bonny hills and dales o Caledonia.
[applause]
10
Far awa fae Scotland, nae
lovin voices near,
I'm far fae my ain folk, the eens I loo sae dear,
But I leave this foreign land wi its sichts and scenes sae
braw,
And I wander back tae my bonny Jeannie Shaw.
Oh gie me back the days o the flooery catkin
braes,
And the bonny lass I loo the best of a';
I would cross the ocean wide jist till wander by the Clyde,
In the gloamin I'll go roamin wi my bonny Jeannie Shaw.
The auld folk and the auld hoose are iver in
my view,
The burnie runnin merrily, I seem to see it noo,
But I miss the purple heather, that blooms sae far awa,
And I miss the loved een o ma hairt, my bonny Jeannie Shaw.
O gie me back the days o the flooery catkin
braes,
And the bonny lass I loo the best o a';
I would cross the ocean wide jist to wander by her side,
In the gloamin I'll go roamin wi my bonny Jeannie Shaw.
I didnae see the ?? nor the wild deer on the
hill;
I dinna hear the mavis that's singin fairly fills;
This hairt o mine wid jolly, so I'll up and ging awa,
And I'll wander back tae Scotland, tae ma bonny Jeannie Shaw.
Oh gie me back the days o the flooery catkin
braes,
And the bonny lass I loo the best o a';
I would cross the ocean wide jist to wander by her side,
In the gloamin I'll go roamin wi my bonny Jeannie Shaw.
[applause]
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