Sawney Bean was indeed written by Lionele MacClelland. He recorded it last July for on a special project for the Dunfries Galloway Arts Association. They have at least 400 CDs on hand over there. I probably have the only copy this side of the Atlantic. There are also many rare songs indigenous to southwestern Scotland on the CD as well as 10 instrumental tracks of new music in the style of the region written by a couple of Yanks from Maine. If you want to get a copy, you might email Susie Kelly [suekelly@lineone.net] at the DGAA.

Here is the lyric. The spelling is as found in the Kist, a Scots language resource book for elementary school kids in the lowlands.

SAWNEY BEAN
(Lionele MacClelland)

Oh, go ye not by Gallowa'.
Come bide awhile, my freend.
I'll tell ye o the dangers there.
Beware o Sawney Bean.

There's naebody kens that he bides there
For his face is seldom seen,
But tae meet his eye is tae meet your fate
At the hands o Sawney Bean.

For Sawney he has taen a wife
And he's hungry bairns tae wean,
And he's raised them up on the flesh o men
In the cave o Sawney Bean.

And Sawney he's been well endowed
Wi dochters young and lean,
And thay aa hae taen their father's seed
In the caves o Sawney Bean.

And Sawney's sons are young and strang
And their blades are sharp and keen
Tae spill the blood o travelers
Wha meet wi Sawney Bean.

So if ye ride fae there tae here
Be wary in between
Lest they catch your horse an spill your blood
In the cave o Sawney Bean.

They'll hing ye up an cut your throat
An they'll pick your carcass clean
An then yase yer banes tae quiet the weans
In the cave o Sawney Bean.

But fear ye not, oor captain rides
On an errand o the queen
And he carries the write o fire and sword
For the head o Sawney Bean.

They've hung them high in Edinburgh toon
An likewise aa thei kin
An the wind blaws cauld on aa their banes
An tae hell they aa hae gaen.