The Banff and Buchan Collection

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Tape 1994.031 transcription

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01
[ES] ?? [faint]. I'm gan tae sing a little sang. A the sangs I sing are really very old. Some o them are well, three, four hundred years old and this eens nae exception. It's just a little sang, but it's very den? and it goes away back tae before Napoleon times, when the regiments hidnae names they hid numbers, at's the Gallant Forty-Twa, and at's aboot den [faint], and in them days when they did separate they usually shared something so that when they met up again they would ken, recognise one anither den or whatever, and in this case it was a sixpence. And awa back two or three hundred years ago a sixpence was a lot of money. And this is eh, sang aboot at, it's a lovely ballad. Better get the right key.

Oh it's six wiks come Sunday, since ma laddie's gaen awa,
He's awa tae jine

[ES] No, too loud, too high.

Oh it's six wiks come Sunday since ma laddie's gaen awa,
He's awa tae jine the regiment o the gallant Forty-Twa,
Oh broken-hairted I'll wander for the loss o ma true lover,
He's awa tae jine the regiment o the gallant Forty-Twa.

I hid only one sixpence and a broke it intae twa,
And I gave my love the half o't afore he wint awa,
Oh broken-hairted I will wander for the loss o ma true lover,
He's awa tae jine the regiment o the gallant Forty-Twa.

I will sat at my windae and I'll spin at my wheel,
And I'll think aboot ma laddie and the times we hid sae weel,
Oh broken-hairted I'll wander for the loss o ma true lover,
He's awa tae jine the regiment o the gallant Forty-Twa.

Oh broken-hairted I'll wander for the loss o ma true lover,
He's awa tae jine the regiment o the gallant Forty-Twa,
He's awa tae jine the regiment o the gallant Forty-Twa.

[Applause.]

02
[ES] Is is a fine een, 'Twa Recruitin Sairgents.'

Twa recruitin sairgeants came fae the Black Watch,
Come tae some markets and recruits for to catch,
And a' that they listed wis forty an twa,
Sae list bonny laddie, and come awa.

So it's over the mountain and over the main,
Through Gibraltar tae France and Spain,
Get a feather tae your bonnet, and a kilt abeen your knee,
So list my bonny laddie and come awa wi me.

Oh laddie ye dinna ken the danger at you're in,
If your horse were tae fleg an yer owsen tae rin,
And the auld greedy fairmer he'll grudge your penny fee,
Sae list bonny laddie and come awa wi me.

So it's over the mountain and over the main,
Through Gibraltar tae France and Spain,
Get a feather tae your bonnet, and a kilt abeen your knee,
So list my bonny laddie and come awa wi me.

Oh it's oot o the barn and intae the byre,
The greedy auld fairmer wid nivver retire,
It's a slavery job o low degree,
So list bonny laddie and come awa wi me.

So it's over the mountain and over the main,
Through Gibraltar tae France and Spain,
Get a feather tae your bonnet, and a kilt abeen your knee,
So list my bonny laddie and come awa wi me.

Wi yer tattie pu'ins and yer meal and ale,
Yer sooer sowans ??? an yer ill-brewed ale,
Wi yer buttermilk and whey and breid for yer tea,
Sae list bonny laddie and come awa wi me.

So it's over the mountain and over the main,
Through Gibraltar tae France and Spain,
Get a feather tae your bonnet, and a kilt abeen your knee,
So list my bonny laddie and come awa wi me.

Noo if ye get the chance tae hae a sweetheart and bairn,
It's easy gettin rid o that ill-spun yarn,
Twa rattles o the drum and that'll be it a',
And list bonny laddie and come awa.

So it's over the mountain and over the main,
Through Gibraltar tae France and Spain,
Get a feather tae your bonnet, and a kilt abeen your knee,
So list my bonny laddie and come awa wi me.

[Applause.[

03
[ES] I think now we'll mebbe get Amy, last but not at all least, Amy to sing a wee sangie will we dear? Right, what are you going to sing for us?

[Amy] [Faint.]

[ES] Okay.

[Amy] [ES plays accordion.]

Now the fiddler's ready let us all begin,
So I step it out and step it in,
To the merry music of the violin,
We'll den

[forgets the words]

Katy and Peggy and den,
??
Dance, dance, dance, dance,
Dance, dance ben together.

Dance till dawn
den
den
Dance, dance, dance

[loses her place]

[Amy] Will I start again?

[ES] Do you want tae dae anither een?

04
[Amy] [Accordion accompanies]

Westering home and a song in the air,
Light in the eye and it's goodbye to care,
Laughter and love and a ??,
[faint vocal]

[Applause.]

05
[ES] So ye'll hear me again....

[Fiddle and accordion play.]

06
[Fiddle and accordion play.]

07
[Piano plays 'Scotland the Brave.']

[Applause; end of side A.]

08
[Fiddle, accordion, drum play together.]

[Applause.]

09
[ES] Something that ye can sing. [Plays accordion; applause.]

10
[ES] … ['Plooman Laddies']

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 coulda got a millert,
Bit the smell o dust wid hae deen me ill,
An sin laddie o and sin laddie aye,
The plooman laddies are a' the go.

Doon yonder den I coulda 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,
As bare 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.]

11
[ES] Aye, is ye mebbe heard the tune o this before, I'm sure lots o ye hiv, most o ye hiv! The late Andy Stewart, sang eh, fit we singin! 'Donald Far's Yer Troosers.' 'Donald Far's Yer Troosers.' You jist winder fa they get their tunes for these songs, right? And this song I'm going to sing was recorded a long, long time before Andy Stewart ever sang 'Donald Far's Yer Troosers.' And the song came from my family, of course, and the tune wis wi us,…so, em, I'll see if I can min it.

Oh it wis in the merry month o May,
When a nice wee lass she come my way,
And a' the words that she could say,
Wis Donal come an get me.
Hug me, tug me if you please
Mind noo Donal, dinna squeeze,
An if ye think that naebody sees,
O Donal come an get me.

Oh hie Donal, ho Donal,
Think upon yer vows Donal,
Donal man, ye're big and bra,
Wid ye kiss me quick and rin awa.

I popped the question tae Miss McKay,
She is a beauty, sae am I ,
But let me tell ye in the sly,
She is a great provoker.
She'll often sae tae me, Donal dear,
Hurry up man and disappear,
For if ma mither kens ye're hear,
O Donal yer a croaker!

Oh hie Donal, ho Donal,
Think upon yer vows Donal,
Donal man, ye're big and bra,
Wid ye kiss me quick and rin awa.

We stood that nicht upon the stair,
Bletherin ere like ony pair,
I kissed until er gums were sair,
Till she said, ye're misbehavin.
I tickled her till she said that's rash,
Then she hut me sic a bash,
She said ye're whiskers needs a wash,
Or else ye're needin shavin!

Oh hie Donal, ho Donal,
Think upon yer vows Donal,
Donal man, ye're big and bra,
Wid ye kiss me quick and rin awa.

Oh hie Donal, ho Donal,
Think upon yer vows Donal,
Donal man, ye're big and bra,
Wid ye kiss me quick and rin awa.

[Applause.]

12
[Fiddle, accordion, bodhran play together.]

[All join in singing 'Nicky Tams' and 'The Bonnie Lass o Fyvie' and various others.]

[Applause.]

13
['Aikey Brae' and 'We're nae Awa.']

[Applause.]

 

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