here's a slightly different version (as printed on the sleeve of their LP)

LOOKIN' THE LOAN OF A SPADE
Colum Sands / The Sands Family

Is that yourself - Indeed it is - Well you're a stranger here,
I don't know when I seen you last, it must be more than a year,
How are you doin' - I'm not so bad, and what about yourself -
/: No use complaining I suppose, as long as we've got the health. :/

Where are you now? - I'm still at home, it's the brother that went away,
My father he said that if one of us left, the other would have to stay,
Sure jobs are gettin' very scarce, the unemployment's a curse -
/: But still I suppose as the fella says, it's bad that couldn't be worse. :/

- Terrible weather altogether, it's never going to clear -
Do you know what I'm goin' to tell you though, it's not bad for the time of the year,
Sure a sup of rain never done very much harm, the grass could do with a drop,
/: I'd pass no remarks on a skift or two, as long as there's not a slap. :/

- A slap's the last thing that we need, for our wee meadow's in hay
Do you mind the trade we had last year comin' up thon bit of a brae -
The mountain's comin' very close, I don't like the look of the sky,
/: The forecast talked about a change, but you mightn't believe thon boys. :/

(spoken)I think I'll ask him now . . . I think I'll ask him . . .

- I suppose I'd better be headin' on, I've held you back enough,
I was clearin' up at the back of the house, the garden is very rough,
I broke the spade and it's awkward when you've only got a graip,
/: And unless I can get the loan of a spade, the garden will have to wait. :/

- Aye a spade's an awful missly thing, there's the sun again,
But it's only a pet, it will never keep up, I felt a spit of rain -
Would you be usin' your spade today - To tell you the truth I'm not,
/: For I lent it to you a year ago, and since then I never saw it. :/


(notes on the sleeve) Colum Sands: "When you go to borrow something you don't want to be too cheeky by asking for it right away. It's no harm to talk about other things for a while and then, just as you are about to leave your victim, having exchanged views from every possible angle on the weather, you reveal your real intentions . . ."

an excellent song
I once did a translation/transformation of that song into our local dialect (with the permission of Colum Sands) and I think it also worked
ulli