The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #54643   Message #2812370
Posted By: GUEST,iancarterb
15-Jan-10 - 01:37 AM
Thread Name: Origins: Bonnie Hieland Laddy / Highland Laddie
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bonnie hieland laddy
All the cranes in the harbor of Part au Prince are on their side, and there will be lighters carrying cargo to the shore, and humans carrying it from there. I'm sure they could use some topical verses. I offer these, but there will likely be many.

Was you ever on Haiti's shore, bonny laddie, hielan' laddie,
Burying bodies by the score, my bonny hielan' laddie.

Was you ever on Haiti's shore
We robbed 'em blind and left 'em poor.

Was you ever in Port au Prince
The suffering makes a strong man wince.

If the tradition didn't include chanteys with names like Cal eh oh and Chai ell for Callao and Chile, I'd try rhyming Port a Prince with pants, as I believe they pronounce it locally.