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The Clatterin o Clyde's Waters

Date 08 September 1973
Track ID 67182
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1973.111.B4a

Original Tape ID

SA1973.111

Summary

A truncated version of 'Clyde's Water' in which Willie rides out to see his sweetheart Maggie, and must cross the treacherous River Clyde to do so. When he arrives at the river's edge, he asks the Clyde to let him cross, even if it should not permit him to return. When Willie arrives at Maggie's house, she refuses to let him in, as her house is full of guests. He turns to leave, dejected. When he returns to the Clyde, his first step in the water sees him lose his hat, and on bending down to retrieve it, he is taken by the river. His brother urges him to grab hold of his stallion [song ends abruptly when tape runs out].

Stanley Robertson remarks that this version has been passed down through his people [Travellers] and is unique to them.

Item Notes

11 verses of 4 lines; tape runs out during verse 11.

See:
'Tocher' 40 (1986) pp. 211-214
Greig-Duncan vol. 6, pp. 433-441
'Scottish Ballads' (E. Lyle, 1994) pp. 206-210
'The Scottish Ballads' (R. Chambers, 1829) pp. 301-305
'Book of Scottish Ballads' (A. Whitelaw, 1845) pp. 38-39
'Ballads of Scotland' vol. 1 (W. E. Aytoun, 1858) pp. 154-157
'Minstrelsy Ancient & Modern' (W. Motherwell, 1827) pp. 155-160
'Ancient Ballads and Songs' vol. 2 (P. Buchan, 1828) pp. 137-142
'Traditional Ballad Airs' vol. 2 (W. Christie, 1881) pp. 250-251
'Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads' (A. Keith, G. Greig, 1925) pp. 146-150
'Andrew Crawfurd's Collection of Ballads & Songs' vol. 2 (E. Lyle, 1996) pp. 30-32
'Folk-Song of the North-East' (G. Greig, K. Goldstein, A. Argo, 1963 reprint) art. LX

Recording Location

County - Kinross-shire

Parish - Kinross

Village/Place - Kinross

Item Location

Village/Place - River Clyde

Language

Scots

Collection

SoSS

Classification

R91 GD1231 C216

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good