The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #44800   Message #1087644
Posted By: dick greenhaus
07-Jan-04 - 01:04 AM
Thread Name: Word meanings in Banks Of Sicily
Subject: RE: Word meanings in Banks Of Sicily
For what it's worth, here are the words published by Hamish Henderson in his "Ballads of World War II"

THE HIGHLAND DIVISION'S FAREWELL TO SICILY

The pipie is dozie, the pipie is fey,
He wullnae come roon for his vino the day.
The sky ower Messina is antrin an' grey
And a' the bricht chaulmers are eerie.

Then fare weel ye banks o' Sicily
Fare ye weel ye valley an' shaw.
There's nae Jock will mourn the kyles o' ye
Puir bliddy bastards are weary.

And fare weel ye banks o' Sicily
Fare ye weel ye valley an' shaw.
There's nae hame can smoor the wiles o' ye
Puir bliddy bastards are weary.

Then doon the stair and line the waterside
Wait your turn, the ferry's awa.
Then doon the stair and line the waterside
A' the bricht chaulmers are eerie,


The drummie is polisht, the drummie is braw
He cannae he seen for his webhin ava.
He's beezed himsel up for a photo an' a
Tae leave wi his Lola, his dearie.

Then fare weel ye dives o' Sicily
(Fare ye weel ye shieling an' ha')
And fare weel ye byres and bothies
Whaur kind signorinas were cheerie.

And fare well ye dives o' Sicily
(Fare ye weel ye shieling an' ha')
We'll a' mind shebeens and bothies
Whaur Jock made a date wi' his dearie.

Then tune the pipes and drub the tenor drum
(Leave your kit this side o' the wa')
Then tune the pipes and drub the tenor drum—
A' the bricht chaulmers are eerie.

(Tune " Farewell to the Creeks," a well-known Gordon Pipe March).