Never listen to the words

[chickenfeet]

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.

Comments

[frankie-ecap.livejournal.com]

And if you need any further proof that the Scots are peculiar beyond all reason

You might think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

*smirks*

[oursin.livejournal.com]

There is an amusing fake example of an impenetrably dialect-ridden and meaningless Highland song in Nancy Mitford's Highland Fling.

[lemur-man.livejournal.com]

all manner of outlandish made up words

Bonnie Susie Clelland seems pretty intelligible to be. The sentiments may be a bit odd, but the words are just Scots rather than made up.

[frankie-ecap.livejournal.com]

How do you think the Scots get the words if not by making them up?

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Don't have an English boyfriend, or you'll be burned at the stake. Seems pretty straightforward to me. A trifle harsh, maybe, but I think all right thinking people would agree with the sentiment. And good to emphasise it at the opening of the parliament too.

[lemur-man.livejournal.com]

Does any language get its words just by 'making them up'?

[frankie-ecap.livejournal.com]

As long as it's only that way around.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm all in favour of the English sending us their women - after all, they have no idea what to do with them...

[frankie-ecap.livejournal.com]

Next you'll be telling me that you're getting a bigger bed.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

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.

[frankie-ecap.livejournal.com]

Maybe if you took some of the new outfits out of the wardrobe?

Jock O' Hazeldean

[(Anonymous)]

Just to remind you that Scot's women don't always get burnt:

Why weep ye by the tide, lady, why weep ye by the tide?
A'll wad ye tae my youngest son an ye shall be his bride
An ye shall be his bride lady sae comely tae be seen
But aye she lout the tears dounfaa for Jock O Hazeldean

Nou let this willfu grief be dune an dry those cheeks sae pale
Young Frank is chief of Erthington an Lord O Langleydale
His step is first in peacefu haa his sword in battle keen
Bit aye she lout the tears dounfaa for Jock O Hazeldean

A coat o gowd ye sallnae lack nor kaim tae bind your hair
Nor mettled hound nor managed hawk nor palfrey fresh an fair
An you, the foremaist o them aa sall ride, our forest queen
Bit aye she lout the tears dounfaa for Jock O Hazeldean

The kirk was deckt at mornintide, the tapers glimmert fair
The priest an bridegroum wait the bride an dame an knight were there
They searcht for her in bower an haa the lady wisnae seen
She's owre the border an awa wi Jock O Hazeldean

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

well by and large we can find better things to do with them than burn them (except the Catholics)

Re: Jock O' Hazeldean

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

oops, that wis me...

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Last time I did that I gave the land-lady a heart attack (she's allergic to dog-fur and latex)

Yon callants hae nae clue

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

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"

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

The knowledge seems to be dying out over time - taking them to see Breakback Mountain is just not enough in this day and age...

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

I take it she's a foreigner ?

Re: Yon callants hae nae clue

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

"But ye're no the first that thon Scots has begilet"

Aye, and no the last neither.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Well, she's furth of Scotland.

Re: Jock O' Hazeldean

[rowanf.livejournal.com]

Well, we know she got away... but Jock may have cast her off as cruelly as the Flower of Northumberland. Ballads being, after all the equivalent of tabloids in their day.

Re: Jock O' Hazeldean

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Ah, now no one ever guarantees a happy ever after...

I love the idea of her being o'er the border and awa though.

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

So my problem is that, as a woman of muchly Scots heritage, I shouldn't involved myself with Englishmen? Somebody could have mentioned that a bit earlier!

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

well I think it all depends on how you feel about being burned

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

Generally, I'm agin it. Bad for the skin.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

I see your point. In my neighbourhood though it's seen as cause for celebration and we burn (barbecue really) Larry every year.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

One might think the Scots lassies would appreciate all the sheep (or do they just see those as competition?)

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm .... barbecue is something else entirely! On a slightly different subject, is Mary Hamilton hanged for her transgressions?

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

Certainly in the most common versions. There may be more obscure variants.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

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..