The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #62704   Message #1390213
Posted By: Lighter
27-Jan-05 - 12:07 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre
Subject: Lyr Add: MUCKIN O' GEORDIE'S BYRE (from MacColl)
This is how I transcribe Ewan MacColl's version from the LP "Scots Drinking Songs."

In a lea-rig aul' croft ayont the hill,
Just round the neuk frae Sprottie's Mill,
Tryin a' his life the time tae kill
Lived Geordie MacIntyre.
He had a wife as sweir as himsel,
A dochter as black as Auld Nick is in Hell,
There was plenty o' fun awa at this mill
At the muckin' o' Geordie's byre.

CHORUS: Whaur the grate was tint, the besom was deen,
The barrow it wadna row its leen,
An' siccan a souter there never was seen
As the muckin' o' Geordie's byre.

The dochter had tae strae an neep,
The auld wife started tae swipe the greet,
When Geordie fell skreit on a rotten neep
At the muckin' o Geordie's byre.
Then the greep cam Geordie's soo
An' she stood up ahint the coo
The coo kit it up and O whit a stew
At the muckin' o' Geordie's byre.

The aul' wife she was booin' doon,
The soo was kickit on the croon,
An' shoved her heid in the wifie's goon,
An' then bin through Geordie's byre.
The dochter cam through the barn door
An' seein' her mother let oot a roar,
Tae the midden she ran an' fell owre the boar
At the muckin' o' Geordie' byre.

The boar he lep the midden dyke,
And owre the rigs wi' Geordie's tyke,
They baith fell intae a bumbie's byke
At the muckin' o' Geordie's byre.
The cocks an' hens began tae craw
When Biddy astride the soo they saw
The postie's sheltie ran awa
At the muckin' o' Geordie's byre.

Ae hunderd years have passed and mair
Where Sprottie's was, the hill is bare.
The croft's awa sae ye'll see nae mair
O' the muckin' o' Geordie's byre.
His folk's a' deid an' awa lang syne,
Sae in case his memory ye should tine,
Jest whistle this tune tae keep ye in min'
O' the muckin' o' Geordie's byre.

He sings "souter" (cobbler) but app. "sotter" (muddle) is intended.
Transcription errors, anyone?