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.  (Remember, at that time the known world and distant lands were probably anyplace within 150 miles of home.)

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 verses to celebrate my journeys.

(Performance by Alex Beaton recorded live at the 2010 Stone Mountain Games and used with his permission.)

I’ve seen Loch Ness’ silvery tide
An' places ill tae ken
Far up tae the snowy north
Lies Urquhart's Faerie glen

Dunrobin Castle, by the way,
I nearly had forgot
An’ aye the rickles o' cairn mairks
The hoose o' John O' Groats.

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.

I ha’ dined on Anster’s fish and beer,
I’ve strode St. Andrew’s strand
In heath’r on the Cairngorms,
Breathed Heav’n on the land

Now 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 come back tae you.


Traditional last verse:
I think I'll gang tae Paddy's Lan', I'm mukin' up my mind
For Scotland's greatly altered noo, I canna raise the wind
But I will trust in Providence, if Providence prove true
And I will sing of Erin's Isle when I come back to you.

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