Saturday, July 22, 2017

The 51st (Highland) Division's Farewell to Sicily , Hamish Henderson (1919 –02)

Dick Gaughan' s Haunting Song

The pipie is dozie, the pipie is fey
He wullnae come roun for his vino the day
The sky owre Messina is unco an gray
An a' the bricht chaumers are eerie
Farweill ye banks o Sicily
Fare ye weill ye valley an shaw
There's nae Jock will mourn the kyles o ye
A' the bricht chaumers are eerie
[Puir bliddy swaddies are wearie]
Farweill ye banks o Sicily
Fare ye weill ye valley an shaw
There's nae hame can smoor the wiles o ye
A' the bricht chaumers are eerie
[Puir bliddy swaddies are wearie]

Then doun the stair an line the watterside
Wait yer turn the ferry's awa
Then doun the stair and line the watterside
A' the bricht chaumers are eerie
The drummie is polisht, the drummie is braw
He cannae be seen for his wabbin ava
He's beezed himsell up for a photie an a'
Tae leave wi his Lola, his dearie

Farweill ye banks o Sicily
Fare ye weill ye sheilin an ha'
We'll a' mind shebeens an bothies
Whaur kind signorinas were cheerie
Farweill ye banks o Sicily
Fare ye weill ye sheilin an haa
We'll a' mind shebeens an bothies
Whaur Jock made a date wi his dearie
Then tune the pipes an drub the tenor drum
Leave yer kit this side o the waa
Then tune the pipes an drub the tenor drum
Puir bluidy squaddies are wearie
[A' the bricht chaumers are eerie]

pipie=pipe major; dozie=sleepy; fey=acting in a strange manner, as if having a presentiment of something out of the ordinary,or of death; unco=strange, unusual; chaulmers=rooms; kyles=straights; smoor the wiles=obliterate your fascination(literally,'smother'); drummie=drum major; beezed=polished (beezin= spit and polish); shielin=hut; byres and bothies=cow sheds and cottages; shebeens=boozers, drinking densDick Gaughan' s Haunting Song

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