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20 Dec 07 - 07:12 PM (#2219991) Subject: Lyr Req: Dougie Maclean lyrics From: GUEST I would like to know the lyrics of this song of Dougie Maclean.I am not english and I don't understand what he sings.Can anybody help me? Thanks in advance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqxUj4GhcPE |
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20 Dec 07 - 08:49 PM (#2220049) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dougie Maclean lyrics From: Jeri Well, the song's not in English either - it's Scots. It's a poem by James Kennedy. If you scroll 3/4 of the way down this page on a genealogy site, it says the poem was published in Punch in Feb, 1903. The following is from the incomplete version on the page and my (rather poor) guess at the words. Let's hope a Scot comes along to fix what I wrote: From Kenmore tae Ben Mohr the land is aa the Markiss's |
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20 Dec 07 - 11:28 PM (#2220103) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dougie Maclean lyrics From: GUEST,Billy No' a bad effort, Jeri. From this site "The Highland Crofter", you can find the original poem. Kenmore is a village at the end of Loch Tay see here The Marquis of Breadalbane once owned half a million acres of Highland perthshire and Argyllshire. This poem was written in 1840, attacking the eviction of some 2,500 people round Loch Tay. (This was the time of the Highland Clearances, when wealthy landowners, such as the Marquis, decided that grazing sheep were more profitable than Crofters (Tenant farmers) grinding out a meagre living from poor land). The last line proved true - the Marquis doesn't own most of Dougie's Perthshire. Unfortunately, it is now owned by the Duke of Atholl (pronounced "Duke of Asshole") now down to a mere 145,000 acres. "The Highland Crofter" by James Kennedy (rough translation in parenthesis) Frae Kenmore tae Ben More (From Kenmore to Ben More (mountain)) The land is a' the Marquis's; (The land is all (belongs to) the Marquis's) The mossy howes, the heathery knowes (the mossed hollows, the heathered hills) An'ilka bonnie park is his; (And every beautiful enclosed piece of land belongs to him) The bearded goats, the towsie stots, (the bearded goats, the shaggy bullocks) An' a' the braxie carcases; (and all the (dead sheep carcases killed by disease (braxie - people would still eat all but the entrails of a sheep which died of this disease))) Ilk crofter's rent, ilk tinkler's tent, (every farmer's rent, every tinker (travelling people) tent) An ilka collie's bark is his; (and every collie that barks belongs to the Marquis) The muir-cock's craw, the piper's blaw, (the Moorcock's crow, the bagpiper's breath (tune)) The ghillie's hard day's wark is his; (the game-keeper's hard days work is his) Frae Kenmore tae Ben More The warld is a'the Marquis's. (Warld = world) The fish that swim, the birds that skim, The fir, the ash, the birk is his; (trees: birk = birch) The castle ha' sae big an' braw, (castle hall so big and fine) Yon diamond crusted dirk is his; (that diamond-encrusted dagger...) The roofless hame, a burning shame, (roofless home - see Clearances) The factor's dirty wark is his; (the rent collector's (agent, evictor) dirty work (burning tenants out, etc.) The poor folk vexed, the lawyer's text, Yon smirking legal shark is his; Frae Kenmore tae Ben More The warld is a'the Marquis's. But near, mair near, God's voice we hear (but near, more near,...) The dawn as weel's the dark is his; (the dawn as well as...) The poet's dream, the patriot's theme, The fire that lights the mirk is His. (mirk = dark) They clearly show God's mills are slow But sure, the handiwork is His; And in His grace our hope we place; Fair Freedom's sheltering ark is His. The men that toil should own the soil A note as clear's the lark's is this Breadalbane's land - the fair, the grand Will no'be aye the Marquis's (will not be always the Marquis's(will not always belong to the Marquis)) |
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21 Dec 07 - 04:05 AM (#2220171) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dougie Maclean lyrics From: GUEST Thank you very much Jeri and Billy,this is what I was looking for. |
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21 Dec 07 - 08:54 AM (#2220270) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dougie Maclean lyrics From: Jeri Thanks Billy. It's interesting that the the song ends with everything being the Marquis's, but the poem goes on in a more positive vein. |
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21 Dec 07 - 07:10 PM (#2220591) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dougie Maclean lyrics From: Jim Dixon The song has been discussed, and lyrics (with various spelling) have been posted in these threads: Lyr Req: Dougie MacLean's re Marquis of Aberc Lyr Req: Highland Crofter (from Dougie Maclean) Lyr Req: Dougie Maclean lyrics |