Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me (Robert Wilson)

Subject: lSCOTTISH FOLK SONG
From: ALL STEVE
Date: 04 Jun 98 - 09:12 PM

I AM TRYING TO FIND THE LYRICS TO THIS SONG FOR MY UNCLE ANY RESPNSE WOULD BE GREATLEY APPRECIATED

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 05 Jun 98 - 01:11 AM

Steve, Do you mean a Scottish song that Gordon Bok sings??? Could you be a bit clearer about what you need?!?!

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: all steve
Date: 05 Jun 98 - 11:08 AM

no it is a scottish folk song and the name is " a gordon for me "

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 05 Jun 98 - 11:28 AM

A Gordon for me,A Gordon for me,
If you're no' a Gordon,You're nae use tae me,
The Black Watch are braw,The Seaforths an' a',
But the cocky wee Gordon'sThe pride o' them a'.

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: all steve
Date: 05 Jun 98 - 02:29 PM

thanks for the reply dick i was wandering if there are any more verses to the song

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 05 Jun 98 - 02:38 PM

"Never mind." Art

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: Pete M
Date: 06 Jun 98 - 05:56 PM

The words posted by Dick are the chorus, not a verse, and its a music hall song, not strictly folk, although that depends on your definition I suppose. I'm still trying to locate the full words, It starts off I think as "I'm Duncan McKye o' the HLI ..." can't rely on memory these days!

Pete M

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: Teru
Date: 07 Jun 98 - 07:15 PM

I may have the lyrics at home.(I'm not quite sure.). I have some music notes of Scottish songs sung by Robert Wilosn. Wait until tomorrow.

Regards

Teru

Subject: Lyr Add: A GORDON FOR ME (Robert Wilson)
From: Teru
Date: 08 Jun 98 - 06:29 PM

Fortunately enough, I found the lyrics for A GORDON FOR ME (Words and Music by Robert Wilson himself). Here are the lyrics.

A Gordon for Me
(Robert Wilson)

(1)
I'm Georgie MacKay of the H. L. I.
I'm fond of the lassies and a drappie for bye,
One day when out walking I chanced to see,
A bonnie wee lass wi' a glint in her ee'
Says I to the lassie will you walk for a while?
I'll buy ye a bonnet and we'll do it in style,
My kilt is Mackenzie o' the H. L. I.,
She look'd at me shyly and said wi' a sigh.

REFRAIN
A Gordon for me, a Gordon for me,
If ye're no a Gordon ye're no use to me.
The Black Watch are braw the Seaforths and a'.
But the cocky wee Gordon's the pride o' them a'.
(repeat)

(2)
I courted that girl on the banks of the Dee,
I made up my mind she was fashioned for me,
Soon I was a' thinking how nice it would be
If she would consent to get married to me.
The day we were wed, the grass was so green,
The sun was as bright as the light in her 'een,
Now we've two bonnie lassies who sit on her knee,
While she sings the song that she once sang to me.
A
REFRAIN

H.L.I.: Highland Light Infantry
I hope they are what you are looking for.
With my best wishes
Teru (of Japan)

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Click to play

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 08 Jun 98 - 06:53 PM

Teru- Arigato.

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: Alex
Date: 08 Jun 98 - 11:12 PM

The Gordons (also memorialized in the dance "The Gay Gordons" - before the word gay meant queer), The Seaforths and The Black Watch were all Scottish Highland Regiments.

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: gdhndsteve
Date: 09 Jun 98 - 12:00 PM

TERU THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE LYRICS I THINK I HAVE FINALLY MADE MY UNCLE (AGE 74) A BELIEVER IN THE POWER OF THE COMPUTER THIS IS A GREAT SOURCE OF INFORMATION KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK AND THANKS AGAIN

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: Bruce O.
Date: 09 Jun 98 - 01:51 PM

There are about 30 18th century tunes named after Gordons or their castle in the file SCOTTUNS on my website, www.erols.com/olsonw

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: John Nolan
Date: 09 Jun 98 - 10:03 PM

According to PhoneDisc Powerfinder (1997 edition) there are 145 Bruce O.s in the six New England states alone. I will post the number of C.W. Gordons in the same area, using identical methodology, as soon as I track down the figure.

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: John Nolan
Date: 10 Jun 98 - 08:15 PM

As promised - statistical tidings of C.W. Gordons. There are nine listed east of the Mississippi, three alone in South Carolina.

Subject: RE: lyrics to a gordon for me scottish folk song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 May 04 - 03:39 PM

I thought we had a tune for this, but I guess not. Can somebody send me a MIDI?
Thanks.
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: lyr: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Jim McLean
Date: 11 May 04 - 04:36 PM

Joe, I've sent you a MIDI, a rather simple Midi, but it should be sufficient I hope.
Jim

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Click to play

Subject: RE: lyr: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 May 04 - 03:15 PM

Thanks a lot, Jim. How old is this song? What can who tell me about Robert Wilson?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: lyr: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 12 May 04 - 03:18 PM

a very "music hall" feel in it to me

Subject: RE: lyr: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Jim McLean
Date: 12 May 04 - 05:43 PM

Yes, in Scotland it is considered Music Hall. Robert Wilson was a popular 'Kiltie' singer who had big hits in Scotland with ' Down in the Glen' and that type. Kind of heather and haggis, romanticising Scotland. A Gordon for Me was written in the 50's I would say and recorded by Jimmy Shand as part of a Scottish Medley for accordian. I knew Robert Wilson's son but haven't seen him for a few years, but his father's songs and style were more for the every day Scot and would never be considered 'Folk'

Subject: RE: lyr: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Snuffy
Date: 12 May 04 - 07:00 PM

his father's songs and style were more for the every day Scot and would never be considered 'Folk'

If everyday people aren't "folk", who the hell are?

Subject: RE: lyr: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Jim McLean
Date: 13 May 04 - 04:30 AM

This is one of those fruitless arguments. Folk music, as a category, cannot be specifically defined to suit everybody but, as readers of Mudcat postings are aware, certain songs would not be included e.g. Cliff Richard's 'Living Doll'. Snuffy, that's why I put a quote around the word.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Flash Company
Date: 15 May 04 - 09:33 AM

When asked to define a folksong, Louis (Satchmo) Armstrong said, 'They all folksongs, aint never heard a hoss sing one!'

FC

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Jim McLean
Date: 15 May 04 - 10:15 AM

As I said, Flash Company, a fruitless discussion.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Tam the Bam (Nutter)
Date: 16 May 04 - 08:00 AM

I'm sorry to say to say but it was Robert Wilson that gave the Music world Sydney Devine.

A great man he was for doing that.

Oh tiny Bubbles

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Jim McLean
Date: 16 May 04 - 11:06 AM

Tam, I remember being in the wings of a theatre when Sydney Devine came off after a resounding applause. 'They're easy pleased!' he said!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: akenaton
Date: 16 May 04 - 02:06 PM

Robert Wilson was a great favourite in the 50s.Jims right in describing him as Music Hall,in the same vein as Andy Stewart.
He was,I believe ,a trained classical singer and seemed to me a bit of a wasted talent.
I think "the cratur" played a big part in his life,like many of his contemporaries in Scottish Music....Ake

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: GUEST,russell
Date: 24 Jun 04 - 06:32 AM

Looking for any information about Scottish music hall singer Robert Wilson.

Personal anecdotes, memories, anyone who saw him perform, knew relatives etc all welcome.

Many thanks in advance.

Russell

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: GUEST,Susan
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 12:27 AM

How glad i am to find the words. Growing up in the 50's in Canada and listening to this on 78rpm I thought this was an ancient song - folk or traditional or whatever. Very glad to find the words. Always made me proud to be a Gordon.

Subject: RE: The Thistle- scottish folk song
From:
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 02:16 AM

I am looking for the lyrics of a song called The Thistle of Scotland

It is something like this "the thistle of scotland the bravest its the badge of my country and dear to me."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Jim McLean
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 04:39 AM

I think the correct title is The Badge of Scotland and I may be able to find the lyrics later.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 08:59 AM

No lyrics but it is a popular Highland Pipes tune:

Badge of Scotland.CIF at http://bagpipe.free.fr/Partitions/TheBadgeofScotland.gif

Badge of Scotland MIDI file at
http://www.global.net.mt/scouts/Midi/badgescot.mid

Regards, John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: GUEST,Smiler
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 04:10 PM

Who knows
"Massacre of Glencoe" "Flower of Scotland" etc and any other good popular songs in the "folk?" genre would have become Music Hall or Variety Theatre hits had the been written at the time.
Would they no longer be folk songs in the eyes of the people who categorise songs as nonfolk when "non folk" entertainers sing or play them.
Seems like a form of snobbery againt success to me. A lot of good "Folk" entertainers have suffered from it. As was seen in the recent Corries thread

Tam the Bam - Q what has 56 legs and 55 teeth -
             A1 The front row at a Sydney Devine concert
             A2 The front row at a Daniel O'Donnell concert
They both bring a smile to the faces of a lot of people, different smiles from different people.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Tam the Bam (Nutter)
Date: 14 Oct 04 - 02:07 PM

I quite like oor Syd, I can't understand how people can knock Sydney Devine, ok he's not a great singer, but how many of you can say that you have been on tour in America, had a record (remeber them) in the hit parade and still be performing at the same place for almost 40 years and got a medal frae the Queen, no bad for someone who is supposed to rubbish.
Even Sydney Devine is the first to admit that he's no a great singer.

Oh Tiny Bubbles in the wine!

Gaun yerself Sydney

Oh Maggie!!!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: GUEST,Murray on Saltspring
Date: 14 Oct 04 - 10:08 PM

"The THISTLE OF SCOTLAND" has words beginning "O, the Thistle o' Scotland was famous of auld". Actually there's three (3) sets of words with this title, one printed by James Hogg [in his Jacobite Relics], another in The Modern Scottish Minstrel I think, and the third, the one you're looking for. It has a Gaelic title, "Suaicheantas na h-Alba", which means exactly "The Badge of Scotland" [otherwise flag, standard, emblem etc.] I don't have the words to hand - they are probably relatively recent.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE THISTLE O' SCOTLAND
From: GUEST,Murray on Saltspring
Date: 17 Oct 04 - 11:43 PM

This is from Norman's Buchan's wee book "101 Scottish Songs", p. 123; Author given as Malcolm Macfarlane (from the Gaelic of Evan MacColl).

THE THISTLE O' SCOTLAND

[CHORUS:] O the Thistle o' Scotland was famous of auld,
Wi' its toorie sae snod and its bristles sae bauld,
'Tis the badge of my country, it's aye dear tae me;
And the thocht o' them baith brings the licht tae my e'e.

[VERSE:] Its strength and its beauty the storm never harms;
It stan's on its guard like a warrior in arms;
Yet its down is as saft as the gulls on the sea,
And its tassie as bricht as my Jeannie's blue e'e.

O, my country, what wonder yer fame's gane afar;
For yer sons ha'e been great baith in peace and in war;
While the sang and the tale live they'll win respect,
The lads 'neath the bonnets wi' thistles bedeckt.

Lang syne the invaders cam owre to our shore,
And fiercely our thistle they scutched and they tore;
When they maist thocht it deid, 'twas then it up bore,
And it bloomed on their graves quite as strong as before.

My blessings be yours! Is there Scotsman ava
Wad stan' by and see ony harm on ye fa'?
Is there gentle or semple wha lives in our land
Wad refuse to drink health to the thistle so grand?

Subject: don't forget the auld folks
From: GUEST,smezatu2000"yahoo.co.uk
Date: 03 Apr 05 - 08:31 AM

if anyone can give me the title or words to this old song, my father used to sing it, i'd be really grateful.

but don't forget the auld folk
as they toddle doon the brae
cos soon we'll be auld and grey
but show them that you love them
?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Jim I
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 10:12 PM

Oh! the embarrasment!

My first public performance which I fortunately cannot remember, but which my mother tells all my friends about, was in church one Sunday when I was 3 years old (1952!)

The whole congregation was singing a hymn and I must have been annoyed that I didn;t know it (Yes! you know what's coming!) The hymn finished and I stood up and burst into "A Gordon for Me", which I apparently learnt from my grannie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: Alba
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 10:15 PM

Excellent stuff Jim.
Thanks for the giggle, I have a great picture going in ma heid of you in Church belting it oot!
Judi

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: GUEST,Brian
Date: 01 Dec 07 - 09:50 PM

There is another song that Robert Wilson sang praising the Gordons. I saw him singing it in the Aberdeen Tivoli when I was wee boy in the early sixties. It is called "Here's to the Gordons". I camea across the original sheey music of it and gave it to the Gordon Highlanders Regimet museum in Aberdeen. The song went:

As I was slowly walking in Aberdeen one day
I saw the Gordons marching in tartan green and grey.
Beside me stood a lassie nae higher than my knee
And when the Gordons passed us by that lassie said to me -
Here's to the Gordons the etc, etc

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me - scottish folk song
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 05:41 AM

I don't remember the HLI wearing Mackenzie tartan. The Seaforth Highlanders wore that tartan, as the Earls of Seaforth were MacKenzies.
So many of these different regiments, were raised to prevent the 'Laird' from having his land and titles taken away if he didn't provide men to serve in the British army. They are now gone, and have been amalgamated into the amorphous 'Highlanders'
Giok

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me (Robert Wilson)
From: GUEST,Bruce Scott Hamilton NZ
Date: 07 Sep 08 - 09:46 PM

Hi folks I`m Bruce Scott from Scotty`s Place that plays fridays at 1pm New Zealand time on Community Radio Hamilton and Robert Wilson is a popular artist.
If you want to contact me [e-mail] attention Bruce
Please email
Bruce

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me (Robert Wilson)
From: GUEST,Dave MacKenzie
Date: 08 Sep 08 - 07:49 PM

The Seaforths were the regiment of the MacKenzies. However I once borrowed an HLI kilt (from a piper, I believe the regiment wore the trews) and it was MacKenzie tartan, but tailored so that the thin white stripe was on the pleat, rather than the pattern of the tartan.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me (Robert Wilson)
From: GUEST,Steve Barclay
Date: 18 Nov 09 - 12:57 PM

My grandad came from Cleland and sang in the same choir as Robert Wilson (I think it was the Shotts Male Voice Choir) back in the 1920's. My grandad even beat him singing in a talent contest (before Robert was famous), no word of a lie!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me (Robert Wilson)
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 17 - 09:15 AM

My mother knew this from her mother:

"Now don't forget the auld folk
when they are toddling doon the brae
Don't think that jist because they're auld
they are only in the way
But show them that you love them
Though their hair is like the snaw
For you'll lose your best friends in this world
When the auld folks gang awa'."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gordon for Me (Robert Wilson)
From: GUEST,A Linton lassie
Date: 06 Feb 18 - 12:29 PM

Guest 24/8/17

These are the words my faither sang, except it was Your auld folk .
Thanks for the memory.