Guise o Tough
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1953.237.A7
Original Tape ID
Summary
In this bothy song, a man is hired by Jamie Broon to work as his "orraman" [odd-job man] and "ca'" [drive] his second pair of horses. When he goes to the farm, called the 'Guise o Tough', he meets the farmer and his wife. When he is given bread and cheese, he eats until those around him begin to stare, at which point he decides to view the horses he is to work with. His satisfaction at finding two good horses is short-lived when he begins to plough; the plough does not "throw the fur" [plough a furrow], and he procures a replacement from the smiddy [smithy]. The singer then describes the "kitchie deem" [kitchen maid], whom he says has "twa raw[s] o' ivory that wid scare the very devil".
Item Notes
12 couplets with a refrain of 2 lines.
See:
Greig-Duncan vol. 3, pp. 64-66
Ord pp. 236-237
'The Sang's the Thing' (S. Douglas, 1992) pp. 208-210
Recording Location
County - Midlothian
Parish - Edinburgh
Village/Place - Edinburgh
Item Location
County - Aberdeenshire
Parish - Tough
Village/Place - Guise
Language
Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good