OK Eric, I knew Hamish well and he always sang 'bastards'. As you say, later on but only in 'proper' company, he sang 'swaddies'. When he was pissed (which was quite often) or in the house, he always sang 'bastards'. If you get the chance listen to him singing on the Greentrax CD. I know he was a great scholar and writer but I always got the feeling he learnt Lowland Scottish as he learned German, as a foreign language because when he sings Fareweel etc., he says 'water' not 'waater' and 'mourn' not 'murn'. He almost sounds like an Englishman singing Scottish .... not, however, in my opinion, as bad as McColl.
Jim