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Celtic Radio Community > Minstrels Gallery > Scottish Drinking Songs

Posted by: Stevo 22-Jun-2004, 09:57 AM

Wondering if anyone knows of any good Scottish drinking songs? I grew up in Atlantic Canada where there is a large number of people with Scottish and Irish roots. When I think back to the pubs in Halifax during my University days, my trips to Cape Breton and my visits home to Prince Edward Island, almost all the sing-along-songs were Irish.

Posted by: barddas 22-Jun-2004, 12:31 PM

This is a good Trad. Scottish drinking song. There are several versions of it. The one we do has more verses than the one posted. But, I will add those shortly.

Traditional Scottish Songs
- Nancy Whisky

Here's is a song about the dangers of drink!

Nancy Whisky

As I walked into Glasgow City,
Nancy Whisky I chanced to spy.
I walked in, sat down beside her,
Seven long years spent by her side.

Chorus
Whisky, Whisky, Nancy Whisky,
Whisky, Whisky, Nancy-O!
I've got silver in my pockets,
And I'm going to follow wherever you go.

The more I kissed her, the more I loved her.
The more I kissed her, the more she smiled.
I forgot my mother's warning,
Nancy soon had me beguiled.

Chorus

As I walked down through Glasgow City,
With a heavy heavy heart and an achin' pain.
So many men all courtin' Nancy,
I'll not leave that lass again.

Posted by: Ceciliastar1 22-Jun-2004, 12:55 PM

I love that song! It is so much fun!

Here's another good one!

Scotland the Brave

Hark when the night is falling,
Hear! hear the pipes are calling,
Loudly and proudly calling,
Down thro' the glen.
There where the hills are sleeping,
Now feel the blood a-leaping,
High as the spirits of the old Highland men.

Chorus

Towering in gallant fame,
Scotland my mountain hame,
High may your proud standards gloriously wave,
Land of my high endeavour,
Land of the shining river,
Land of my heart for ever,
Scotland the brave.

High in the misty Highlands
Out by the purple islands,
Brave are the hearts that beat
Beneath Scottish skies.
Wild are the winds to meet you,
Staunch are the friends that greet you,
Kind as the love that shines from fair maidens' eyes.

Chorus

Far off in sunlit places
Sad are the Scottish faces,
Yearning to feel the kiss
Of sweet Scottish rain.
Where the tropics are beaming
Love sets the heart a-dreaming,
Longing and dreaming for the hameland again.

Chorus

Posted by: balisodare 24-Jun-2004, 02:32 PM

Well it's not a trad. Scottish Folk Song...but you must have heard Barrett's Privateers at least once. It's practically a anthem in some of those areas you listed being in.

I found a good site with lyrics http://ingeb.org/songs/otheyrwa.html

Cheers

Posted by: Stevo 05-Jul-2004, 08:29 AM

I don't remember ever hearing "Nancy Whisky", once I post this I will check and see if I can request it here. For some reason "Scotland the Brave", always makes me emotional and chokes me up.

I'm a big fan of both Stan and Garnet Rogers so I'm very familiar with "Barrett's Privateers" it is a great song. I've heard it twice while living in the United States, once at an Irish pub in Boston and a year ago at the tallahasse Highland Games during the Friday Night pub. That song always seems to bring the Canadians out of the crowd and on to their feet. Have you heard the spoof song of Barrett's Privateers called "Garnet's Homemade Beer", I hear it every now and then on Highlander Radio.

Posted by: dragonboy3611 06-Nov-2004, 04:55 PM

Do you drink while the song plays or play the song while you drink?

Posted by: stoirmeil 07-Nov-2004, 06:29 PM

Both.
You take it in turns to do the one or the other, until it would never occur to you anymore to worry about it.

Here, this is nice -- more than you ever wanted to know about Auld Lang Syne:
http://www.tamoshanter.free-online.co.uk/Auldls.htm

It's still one of the weepingest and most drinkable songs around.

Posted by: seadreamer 15-Dec-2004, 07:04 PM

Hey toute le Monde,

I like this music page. Thanks for the Nancey Whiskey lyrics. I must track down the chords to that one.

How about Braw Braw Lads? They don't mention drinking in it but I can see drinking while singing it.

Here are the Lyrics. By the way, I have a version of it by the famous Scot Group the Corries and what an excellent group they were. CD - 2 set called Peat Fire Flames and Stovies. Get that CD if yu like Scottish traditional music. If anybody would like to hear their version, let me know it should be doable.

Braw, braw lads o' Galla Water,
Bonnie lads o' Galla Water;
I'll kilt my coats abune my knee,
And follow my love through the water;
Braw, braw lads.

Lothian lads are black as deils,
And Selkirk lads are no' much better;
I'll kilt my coats abune my knee
And follow the lad o' Galla Water;
Braw, braw lad.

It's ower the moss and doon yon glen,
And ower the bonnie blooming heather,
Nicht or day he bears the gree,
The bonnie lad o' Galla Water;
Braw, braw lad.

Corn rigs are fine and bonnie,
A block o' sheep is muckle better,
The wind will shake a field of oats
While lambs are frisklin' in Galla Water;
Braw, braw lads.

Adieu, soor plooms o' Galashiels,
Tae you, my faither, here's a letter;
It's I'm awa' wi' the black herd lad,
To bide wi' him in Galla Water;
Braw, braw lad.

All the best, GMD

Posted by: Rindy1202 15-Dec-2004, 07:20 PM

QUOTE (Stevo @ 22-Jun-2004, 08:57 AM)

Ok I have to plug them since I won the two CD's check out Barleyjuice.com. They have some pretty wild drinking songs.