The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #67835   Message #1136119
Posted By: Roberto
14-Mar-04 - 10:16 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Jack Beck's Sir Patrick Spens
Subject: Lyr Req: SIR PATRICK SPENS (from Jack Beck)
I'd like to get the text of Sir Patrick Spens as sung by Jack Beck, on Half Ower, Half Ower tae Aberdour, Tradition Beares Series LTCD 1006. I can get most of the words, but the main problem is in stanza 9, although I'd like someone to check the whole transcription as well.
Thank you. Roberto
^^
The King sits in Dunfermline toon
Drinkin' the blood-red wine
Saying ? Whaur can I find a skeely skipper
Tae sail this ship o' mine?

It's up then spak' an elderly knicht
Sat by the King's richt knee:
Oh, Sir Patrick Spens is the skeeliest skipper
That sailed upon the sea

The King he wrote a braid letter
And sealed wi' his hand
And sent it tae Sir Patrick Spens
A-walkin' on the strand

Tae Norowa', tae Norowa'
Tae Norowa' ower the faem
Oh, the King's dochter frae Norowa'
It's ye maun bring her hame

Noo, the firsten word Sir Patrick read
A loud loud laugh laughed he
But the neisten word that Sir Patrick read
Oh, the sault tears blind his ee

Oh, wha has done this deed ? He said
This deadly deed tae me
Tae send me oot at sic a time
Tae sail upon the sea?

They hadna been in Norowa'
A week but scarcely three
When the highest lords in the King's ain court
Did turn richt roond tae say:

Oh, these Scotsmen they do drink oor wine
And our gowd spend quite free
Tae Norowa' they sail their ship
With ne'er a penny fee

Ye're liars aloud ? Sir Patrick cried
Ye're liars aloud ? cried he
Oh, there's twenty thousand pen (??????) silver- cried he
And the dowry I brought with me

I'll sail this nicht, this very nicht
I'll sail richt ower the faem
I'll mak' my way tae fair Scotland
And I'll bring young Margaret hame

Busk, oh busk, my merry men
Oor ship maun sail at dawn -
Oh, say na sae, my captain dear
I fear a deadly storm

For I saw the new moon late yestreen
With the old moon in her airms
And I fear, I fear, my captain dear
I fear we'll come tae harm

They sailed awa' frae Norowa'
They sailed richt ower the faem
For they were bound for Dunfermline Town
For to bring young Margaret hame

Oh lang, lang, may their ladies sit
With their gowd kems in their hand
Ere they see the great Sir Patrick Spens
Come sailing tae the land

Half ower, half ower tae Aberdour
And fifty fathoms deep
Oh there lies the great Sir Patrick Spens
With the Scots lairds at his feet