Nicky Tams
fiosrachadh a' chlàraidh
Àireamh a' Chlàir Thùsail
SA1954.34.A4
Àireamh an Teip Thùsail
Notaichean a' Chlàir
6 verses of 4 lines; last line of first verse not sung. Melodeon accompaniment. Recorded at 4th People's Festival Cèilidh. Composed by the famous bothy balladeer G. S. Morris.
Nicky tams were leather thongs (or sometimes pieces of cord) tied below the farm worker's knee in order to keep the trouser legs from trailing in the mud (and allegedly to prevent rats and mice from crawling up the legs). The name derives from 'nicky' as an allusion to 'knickerbockers' (which were fashionable at the time) and 'tams' from 'taum', meaning 'cord'.
See:
'Scotland Sings' (E. MacColl, 1953) p. 96
'101 Scottish Songs' (N. Buchan, 1962) pp. 48-49
'Kerr's Buchan Bothy Ballads' vol. 2 (G. S. Morris & J. S. Kerr, 1957) pp. 2-3
'Travellers' Songs from England and Scotland' (E. MacColl & P. Seeger, 1977) pp. 316-318
Àite Clàraidh
Siorrachd - Meadhan Lodainn
Paraiste - Dùn Èideann
Baile/Àite - Dùn Èideann
Cànan
Albais
Seòrsa
Cruinneachadh
Seòrsachadh
Cruth Inneal a' Chlàir
Reel to reel
Càileachd an Fhuaime
Meadhanach Math