chickenfeet: (isobel)
chickenfeet ([personal profile] chickenfeet) wrote2006-01-19 09:45 am

Never listen to the words

One should never listen to the words of Scottish folk songs. Not only do they contain all manner of outlandish made up words but they usually don't make any sense at all. Bonnie Susie Clelland is a fine example of inscrutability.

And if you need any further proof that the Scots are peculiar beyond all reason, this little gem was chosen to be sung at the opening of the Scottish Parliament.

[identity profile] f4f3.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 04:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, I'm all in favour of the English sending us their women - after all, they have no idea what to do with them...

[identity profile] frankie-ecap.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 04:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Next you'll be telling me that you're getting a bigger bed.

[identity profile] f4f3.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 04:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Hmm, not sure if the alterations I had to make to fit the hot-tub leave room for anything bigger than 10ft square, but I'll check.

[identity profile] frankie-ecap.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 04:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Maybe if you took some of the new outfits out of the wardrobe?

[identity profile] f4f3.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 04:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Last time I did that I gave the land-lady a heart attack (she's allergic to dog-fur and latex)

[identity profile] chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 04:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I take it she's a foreigner ?

[identity profile] f4f3.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 04:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, she's furth of Scotland.

[identity profile] chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 04:15 pm (UTC)(link)
well by and large we can find better things to do with them than burn them (except the Catholics)

[identity profile] f4f3.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 04:24 pm (UTC)(link)
The knowledge seems to be dying out over time - taking them to see Breakback Mountain is just not enough in this day and age...

[identity profile] chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 10:14 pm (UTC)(link)
One might think the Scots lassies would appreciate all the sheep (or do they just see those as competition?)

[identity profile] f4f3.livejournal.com 2006-01-20 08:25 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, the sheep - I must get around to commenting on that...

As the joke says, what do you call a sheep tied to a lampost in Aberdeen? A leisure centre..

Yon callants hae nae clue

[identity profile] chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 04:21 pm (UTC)(link)
And this to prove that on the odd occasion when an English girl is stupid enough to head North the natives are clueless:

The provost's ae dochter wis walkin her lane
O but her luve it wis easy won
Whan she spied a Scots prisoner makin his mane
An she wis the flouer of Northumberlan

"O, gin a lassie wad borrow me
O gin her luve it wis easy won
A wad mak her a ladie o heich degree
Gin she'd lowse me out frae my prison sae strang"

Sae it's she's dune her doun tae her faither's guid stocks
O but her luve it wis easy won
An she's stolen the best keys thair for mony's the brave lock
For tae lowse him out frae his prison sae strang

An it's she's dune her doun tae her faither's guid stables
O but her luve it wis easy won
An she's stolen the best horse that wis baith fleet an able
For tae cairry thaim owre tae bonnie Scotlan

Bit as thae were ridin across thon Scots muirs
He cried, "O but yer luve it wis easy won
Get ye doun frae my horse ye're a brazen-faced hour
Altho ye're the flouer o Northumberlan"

"It's cook in yer kitchen A shairly will be
Altho my luve it wis easy won
For A cannae gae back tae my ain countrie
Altho A'm the flouer o Northumberlan"

"It's cook in my kitchen ye cannae weill be
O but yer luve it wis easy won
For my ladie she winnae hae sairvants like ye
An ye'll need tae gae hame tae Northumberlan"

"For A hae a wife in my ain countrie
O but yer luve it was easy won
An A cannae dae naethin wi a lassie like ye
An ye'll need tae gae back tae Northumberlan"

An, sae laith wis he thon lassie tae tine,
O but her luve it wis easy won
He's hiret an auld horse an he's hiret an auld man
Tae cairry her hame tae Northumberlan

Bit whan she got thair her faither did froun an said
"O but yer luve it was easy won
Tae gang wi a Scotsman whan ye're barely saxteen
An ye were the flouer o Northumberlan"

Bit whan she gaed ben her mither did smile an said
"O but yer luve it was easy won
But ye're no the first that thon Scots has beguilet
An ye're walcome back hame tae Northumberlan"

"For ye winnae want breid an ye winnae want wine
O but yer luve it was easy won
An ye winnae want siller tae buy a man wi
An ye're aye the fair flouer o Northumberlan"

Re: Yon callants hae nae clue

[identity profile] f4f3.livejournal.com 2006-01-19 04:27 pm (UTC)(link)
"But ye're no the first that thon Scots has begilet"

Aye, and no the last neither.