Not chips - boiled. The herrin's most likely salt-preserved. That's the dish. No reason you couldn't have Julliane Potatoes and herring in sour cream with onions, I suppose but I think most country folk or old timers would expect boiled potatoes & salt herring.

Thing is, we're just listening to Jock Duncan's version on "Tae The Greenwoods Gaen" (purchased from Camsco). His winderfu bothy accent much complements the version he got from the Gaugers (as above). BUT, he adds two verses of his own. One on the famous WW I hero/outlaw Johnny Ramensky.

The Ancient One notes that the tune is an odd one to put with these (trad or new) words. Nohow unique to put a beautiful old air with a new comic or bawdy or whatever song but interesting. A pleasant, unexpected combination sort of like neuveau cuisine.

Buchan/Hall don't mention a tune origin (just from the singing of Isobel Baird) and MacColl just gives "probably from the reign of Queen Victoria." (Covers a few years.)   He calls "Harbour of Refuge" an ironic Peterhead term for the jail, related to the construction Malcolm notes. I'm not sure if Malcolm means that - the link is broken now. (They do that.)

It's also sung on Singing the Fishing. I think by Larner but I can't put my hands on Sam Hinton's transcription at the moment.

Any idea where the tune comes from?