Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to the Rynark Folk Song Clubs at the Rockfield Hotel,
Paisley.
Tonight,
one of the biggest names in Scottish folk song,
Hamish Imlach.
CHEERING
I'm glad he didn't say Scotland's leading all-round entertainer!
I'd
like to start off with an agricultural seduction ballad.
This comes from,
you know,
the north of Scotland.
You know, these quaint farming communities.
At their last census,
they uncovered this village where...
No, no.
Where the population had remained exactly the same for 150 years.
And they discovered it was because whenever a baby was born,
a man left town.
Oh,
John,
he was a strapping lad He thought he'd take a wife
He wanted naught for his father's farm Where he'd worked all his life
He courted Jean for money months Before he dealt his father
For looked at him with twinkle in eye You'll hate to find
another I was a gay spark in my youth Jeanie is my daughter
John fined her off for a week or two Then headed to
the west He caught on Kate the Derry Made to rest
in his Sunday best He cuddled her and kettled her
Before he dealt his father For looked at him with twinkle in eye
You'll hate to find another I was a gay spark in my youth
Katie is my daughter
He fined her off for a month or two Then signed and went to the east
He caught on Anne the Bonyard Dancer Talked at last his peace
He bought for her a golden ring Before he dealt his father
For looked at him with twinkle in eye You'll hate to find another
I was a gay spark in my youth Annie is my daughter
Ah,
Jock was sick for money a week And off he'd do not move
He begged with rosy cheeks When at last he wondered so
For begging he had money a spray Before he dealt his father
For looked at him with twinkle in eye You'll hate to find another
I was a gay spark in my youth Beggy is my daughter
For
harvest past and winter t'ai Jock grew near morose
He couldn't work and he couldn't sleep And he couldn't s'up his bros
He was near to deal Before he dealt his mother
For looked him in the eye And laughed he can marry another
I was a gay spark in my day Sonny's no your fader