When I Went to Glasgow First
Contributors
Unknown Person
MacKinnon, Duncan, 1930- (4888)
Fieldworkers
Date
01 May 1970
Track ID
65408
Part 1
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1970.84.A6
Original Tape ID
Summary
A humorous macaronic song about a Gael's first visit to the big city of Glasgow.
Item Notes
Additional verses can be heard on this recording of the same singer.
Composed by Billy Marshall, Skye.
Recorded at a cèilidh held in Newton House Hotel, North Uist, after the presentation of the BEM to Miss Bessie B. Paterson of Berneray.
Recording Location
County - Inverness-shire
Parish - North Uist
Island - North Uist
Village/Place - Newton House Hotel
Item Location
County - Lanarkshire
Parish - Glasgow
Village/Place - Glasgow
Language
English, Gaelic
Genre
Collection
Transcription
When I went down to Glasgow first, a-mach gu tìr nan Gall,
I was but like a man adrift, air iomrall 's dol air chall.
The noise it was like thunder, chuir e tuainealaich nam cheann,
And often times I wished I was air ais an Tìr nam [Beann].
Na fireannaich 's na boireannaich that met me on my way,
An dòighean cha do chòrd iad rium, they had too much to say.
Bha cuid dhiubh 'g iarraidh airgead orm. When I said, "Clear away,"
'S ann chuir iad mach an teanga rium, and nasty things did say.
Chuir siud suas mo nàdar-sa, my temper it got wild,
Is chuir mise gu sgapadh iad, along the banks of Clyde.
Fhuair mi grèim air gàrlach dhiubh, I swung him round my head,
Is thilg mi leud na sràide e, they picked him up half-dead.
Thàinig sin am poileasman, a splendid man was he,
Duine gast' is spèisealta belonging to Portree.
Thuirt e riumsa, "Òganaich, o what is all this row?
Chaidh iad riumsa connsachadh, and I will tell you how."
Thòisich mi ri innse dha, he'd heard the like before,
'S ann rinn e fead ri chompanach, who stood at the pub door.
Thug e mach a leabhar and pretended down to write,
Mar thòisich Iain Dòmhnallach 's na Lowlanders to fight.
I was but like a man adrift, air iomrall 's dol air chall.
The noise it was like thunder, chuir e tuainealaich nam cheann,
And often times I wished I was air ais an Tìr nam [Beann].
Na fireannaich 's na boireannaich that met me on my way,
An dòighean cha do chòrd iad rium, they had too much to say.
Bha cuid dhiubh 'g iarraidh airgead orm. When I said, "Clear away,"
'S ann chuir iad mach an teanga rium, and nasty things did say.
Chuir siud suas mo nàdar-sa, my temper it got wild,
Is chuir mise gu sgapadh iad, along the banks of Clyde.
Fhuair mi grèim air gàrlach dhiubh, I swung him round my head,
Is thilg mi leud na sràide e, they picked him up half-dead.
Thàinig sin am poileasman, a splendid man was he,
Duine gast' is spèisealta belonging to Portree.
Thuirt e riumsa, "Òganaich, o what is all this row?
Chaidh iad riumsa connsachadh, and I will tell you how."
Thòisich mi ri innse dha, he'd heard the like before,
'S ann rinn e fead ri chompanach, who stood at the pub door.
Thug e mach a leabhar and pretended down to write,
Mar thòisich Iain Dòmhnallach 's na Lowlanders to fight.
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good