I think I'll gang ta Paddy's Lan', I'm mukin' up my mind
For Scotland's greatly altered noo, I canna raise the win’
But I will trust in Providence, if Providence prove true
And I will sing o’ Erin's Isle when I come back to you.
Alternate verse:
I must gang ta Sammy’s Lan’, my time ta leave is nigh
But I’ll return ta ye someday and ta the Isle of Skye
To tramp again the Cuillin Hills in the mist o’ th’ mornin’ dew
An’ sing o’ amber waves o’ grain when I return ta you.
For Scotland's greatly altered noo, I canna raise the win’
But I will trust in Providence, if Providence prove true
And I will sing o’ Erin's Isle when I come back to you.
Alternate verse:
I must gang ta Sammy’s Lan’, my time ta leave is nigh
But I’ll return ta ye someday and ta the Isle of Skye
To tramp again the Cuillin Hills in the mist o’ th’ mornin’ dew
An’ sing o’ amber waves o’ grain when I return ta you.
Tramps & Hawkers
The traveling song, Tramps & Hawkers, was composed in the late 1800’s by the Angus hawker , Jimmy Henderson, also known as Brechin Jimmy. It celebrates those that tramp the countryside, hawking their wares, gathering the local blaw (gossip) and passing it on. They were the source of the news throughout the known world and teller of tales of distant lands.
I have spent some portion of my life in recent years traveling and gathering blaw along with photographs. So here I present my own Tramps & Hawkers view of the Scottish countryside. And, in the tradition of many of those tramps and hawkers of old, I have composed my own verse to celebrate my journeys.
I have seen the high Ben Nevis
A towerin' ta the moon
I've been by Crieff an' Callander
An' roun' by Bonny Doon
A towerin' ta the moon
I've been by Crieff an' Callander
An' roun' by Bonny Doon
Come a' ye tramps and hawker lads an' gaitherers o' bla'
That tramps the country roun' and roun', come listen ane and a'
I'll tell ta ye a rovin' tale, an' sights that I hae seen
Far up in ta the snowy north, or sooth by Gretna Green.
That tramps the country roun' and roun', come listen ane and a'
I'll tell ta ye a rovin' tale, an' sights that I hae seen
Far up in ta the snowy north, or sooth by Gretna Green.
I've been by Nessies' silvery tide
An' places ill ta ken
Far up into the snowy north lies
Urquhart's faerie glen
An' places ill ta ken
Far up into the snowy north lies
Urquhart's faerie glen
Loch Katherine and Loch Lomond,
Have oft been seen by me
The Dee, the Don, the Deveron,
That flows in ta the sea
Have oft been seen by me
The Dee, the Don, the Deveron,
That flows in ta the sea
The Royal Dee River
Dunrobin Castle, by the way,
I nearly had forgot
An’ the reckless stanes o' cairn mairks
The hoose o' John O' Groats.
I nearly had forgot
An’ the reckless stanes o' cairn mairks
The hoose o' John O' Groats.
I ha’ dined on Anster’s fish and beer,
I’ve strode St. Andrew’s strand
In heath’r on the Cairn Gorms,
Breath’d heav’n on the land
I’ve strode St. Andrew’s strand
In heath’r on the Cairn Gorms,
Breath’d heav’n on the land
Flora MacDonald’s Grave on Skye
I’ve trod the banks o’ the bonnie Tweed
At the gloamin’ o’ the day
On th’ Isle of Skye I’ve bent my knee
Where Flora MacDonald lay.
At the gloamin’ o’ the day
On th’ Isle of Skye I’ve bent my knee
Where Flora MacDonald lay.
Ben Nevis
Bonnie Doon (Doune) Castle
Loch Ness
Ill tae ken Clava Cairns
The Coast of John O’ Groats
The River Tweed
Loch Lomond with Ben Lomond in the Mist
The Strand at St. Andrews
Heather and Heaven in the Cairn Gorms
Anstruhter (Anster), Home of
Scotland’s Best Fish & Chips
Scotland’s Best Fish & Chips
Dunrobin Castle
The River Don
Urquhart Castle upon Loch Ness
