The Banff and Buchan Collection

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Tape 1994.036 transcription

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01
['Wild Rover']
I've been a wild rover for many a year,
And I spent all me money on whiskey and beer,
And now I'm returning with gold in great store,
And I never will play the wild rover no more.

And it's no, nay, never,
No nay never no more,
Will I play the wild rover,
No never no more.

I went in to an alehouse I used to frequent,
And I told the landlady me money was spent.
I asked her for credit, she answered me, nay,
Such a custom as yours I can get any day.

And it's no, nay, never,
No nay never no more,
Will I play the wild rover,
No never no more.

I took out from my pocket ten sovereigns bright,
And the landlady's eyes opened wide with delight.
She said, I have whiskey and wines of the best,
And the words that I spoken were only in jest.

And it's no, nay, never,
No nay never no more,
Will I play the wild rover,
No never no more.

I'll go home to my parents, confess what I've done,
And I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son.
And if they forgive me as oft-times before,
And I swear I will play the wild rover no more.

And it's no, nay, never,
No nay never no more,
Will I play the wild rover,

No never no more.
And it's no, nay, never,
No nay never no more,
Will I play the wild rover,
No never no more.

[Applause.]

02-03
[Tune on flute.]

[Applause.]

04-05
['Rap at the Bank']

Rap at the bank me bonny lad,
Wind her away, keep turning,
The backshift are gangin hame,
They'll be back here in the mornin.

Me father used tae ca the turns,
When the lang shift wis over,
And as he gangs in by, I can hear him cry,
D'you know it after fower[?]

Rap at the bank me bonny lad,
Wind her away, keep turning,
The backshift are gangin hame,
They'll be back here in the mornin.

When your ??? did arrive,
The last shift for me father,
A fall of stones and broken stone,
But still beneath the clatter he cried:

Rap at the bank me bonny lad,
Wind her away, keep turning,
The backshift are gangin hame,
They'll be back here in the mornin.

Rap at the bank me bonny lad,
Wind her away, keep turning,
The backshift are gangin hame,
They'll be back here in the mornin.

[Applause.]

06
[Piccolo plays.]

[Applause.]

07
[Fiddle, guitar and drum.]

[Applause.]

[Bob Sharp, Rosie, Matthew, Albert, Patsy]

08
['Speed of Sound of Loneliness']

You come home late and you come home early,
You come on big when you're feeling small.
You come home straight and you come home curly,
Sometimes you don't come home at all.

So what in the world's come over you?
And what in heaven's name have you done?
You've broken the speed of the sound of loneliness;
You're out there running just to be on the run.

Well I got a heart that burns with a fever,
And I got a worried and a jealous mind.
How can a love that'll last forever,
Get left so far behind?

So what in the world's come over you?
And what in heaven's name have you done?
You've broken the speed of the sound of loneliness;
You're out there running just to be on the run.

It's a mighty mean and a dreadful sorrow;
It's crossed the evil line today.
Well, how can you ask about tomorrow,
We ain't got one word to say.

So what in the world's come over you?
And what in heaven's name have you done?
You've broken the speed of the sound of loneliness;
You're out there running just to be on the run.

[Applause.]

09
[Tunes.]

[Applause.]

10['The Liesh Young Buy-a-Broom']

Now as I was walking in the North country,
Down by Kirby Steven it happened for to be,
There was me with my music a-walkin down the street,
When a pretty little buy-a-broom I chanced for to meet.

For she was right, I was tight, everybody has their way,
It was the liesh young buy-a-broom that led me astray.

Straight away she invited me to go along with her,
Yes was the answer unto her that I did say,
There was; me with my music still walkin down the street,
And her with a tambourine beatin a retreat.

For she was right, I was tight, everybody has their way,
It was the liesh young buy-a-broom that led me astray.

Then straight way out for Kendal we started her and I,
Over the white mountain the weather being dry;
We both had a bottle filled up to the top,
And whenever we was getting dry we took a little drop.

For she was right, I was tight, everybody has their way,
It was the liesh young buy-a-broom that led me astray.

The night was coming on and good lodgings we did find,
Eatables of all sorts and plenty of good wine,
Good bed and blankets just for we two,
And I rolled her in me arms me boys, and wouldn't you do too?

For she was right, I was tight, everybody has their way,
It was the liesh young buy-a-broom that led me astray.

Early the next morning well I rose to go me way,
I called for the landlord for the reckoning to pay,
Fourteen an sixpence just for we two,
Then a fiver on the table there me darling down she threw.

For she was right, I was tight, everybody has their way,
It was the liesh young buy-a-broom that led me astray.

Well the reason that we parted I now shall let you hear,
She started off for Germany right early the next year,
And me being unwilling for to cross the raging main,
Here's a health to my buy-a-broom wherever she may be.

For she was right, I was tight, everybody has their way,
It was the liesh young buy-a-broom that led me astray.

For she was right, I was tight, everybody has their way,
It was the liesh young buy-a-broom that led me astray.

[Applause. Break in recording.]

11
Oh fare thee well to good old Dilson Hall,
My father's ancient seat,
A stranger now must call ye,
Which ??? gives my heart to greet

Farewell, farewell each friendly face,
My heart
My tenants now must leave their lands,
Which give my heart a ???

And fare-thee-well my bonny grey steed,
That carried me ere so free,
I wisht I'd been sleeping in my bed,
Last time I mounted thee.

Farewell, farewell my lady fare,
In ill thou counselled me,
I never more shall see the babe ,
That smiles upon your knee.

The morning sun now bids me cease,
My journey's nearly ower
Young sun that rises ower the sea,
Shall rise on me no more.

I'll be at that ??? in London town,
It is my fate to die,
Oh, carry me to Northumberland,
In my father's grave to lie.

[Applause.]

12
[Accordion and guitar.]

[Applause.]

13
[Scottish small pipes (Itchy fingers).]

14
[Scottish small pipes (Itchy fingers).]

15
[Scottish small pipes (Itchy fingers).]

[Applause.]

16
This is a song that comes from Quebec, it's about migrant workers who travel south during the harvest season to harvest the tobacco. It's written by Daniel Langlois. It's called 'La Marie.'

Y a quelqu'un qui appelle mon nom,
y a quelqu'un qui appelle mon nom
On travail aujourd'hui, on travail sous la pluie
On travaille au tabac, hostie!

Mes mains sont noires a cochon,
mes mains sont noires a cochontrente jours,
Et trente nuits
On travail au tabac, hostie!

On travail au tabac, hostie!
O driver donne moi une chance,
O driver donne moi une chance
Avez-vous du feu pour ma cigarette?
On travail au tabac, hostie!

Ce soir, on va au village,
Oui ce soir, on va au village
Chanter le chanson, boire la boisson
On travail au tabac, hostie!

O Marie, j'ai mal a la tete,
O Marie, j'ai mal a la tete
Donnez nous l'esprit, l'esprit du corps
On travail au tabac,

MarieLe bleu du ciel a change,
Le bleu du ciel a change
Apres quarante jours et quarante nuits
On ne peut pas travailler au tabac

Y a quelqu'un qui appelle mon nom,
Y a quelqu'un qui appelle mon nom
On travail aujourd'hui, on travail sous la pluie,
On travail au tabac.

 

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