The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #140776   Message #3237429
Posted By: Jim Dixon
11-Oct-11 - 05:29 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Music-hall songs sung by Will Fyffe
Subject: Lyr Add: THE CENTENARIAN (Will Fyffe)
My transcription from the album "Will Fyffe" (2008), as found at Spotify:
The patter in this song is funnier than most, so I included some of it.


THE CENTENARIAN
As sung by Will Fyffe

There's been a great commotion in the village doon the brae.
Ye'll wonder what it's all aboot; I'll tell ye right away.
This mornin' was ma birthday an I've lived a hundred years.
That's why ye hear the pipers an the shoutin an the cheers.

Och, a hundred ago today, a hundred years ago,
And Scotland's in the same place still.
I've had lots o time to spare, so I've travelled everywhere.
I've sailed the seas an toddled the land ower many a weary hill.
But there's nae place like the old place.
Hame's hame wherever you may go.
Oh, the stories I could tell, for mind ye, I've enjoyed mysel.
Och, I'd like to start it over again a hundred years ago.

The old schuil house was packit oot; the laird was forced to sing.
The minister read a telegram that I gat frae the king.
The lassies made a fuss o me, and to show them I was game,
We had a game o postman's knock an I saw a couple hame.

Och, aye. Aye, aye. There's only one thing. I wish my wife had been alive to see this day. She'd a been prood o me. Ah, but she's deid. Aye, she's away. Just a lassie when she died. Eighty-six. Aye. The doctor did his best to save her but it was no good, no good. But the baby lived. Oh, aye. It'll be a great comfort to me in my old age.

Oh, the stories I could tell, for mind ye, I've enjoyed mysel.
Och, I'd like to start it over again a hundred years ago.