BANKS OF THE CLYDE

On the banks of the Clyde stood a lad and a lassie,
The lads name was Georgie and lass's was Jane.
She flung her arms around him and cried, "Do not leave me,"
For Georgie was going to fight for his queen.
She gave him a lock of the bright auburn tresses,
She kissed him, she pressed him once more to her heart.
Still his eyes spoke a line that his lips could not utter,
The last word is spoken, they kiss and they part.

(Chorus)
Over the burning plains of Egypt,
Under the scorching sun.
He thought of the stories he'd have to tell to his love,
When the fight was won.
For he treasured with care that dear lock of hair,
For his own darling Jinny he prayed,
But her prayers were in vain,
For she'd ne'er see again,
Her lad in the Scotch brigade.

Though the ocean divided the lad from his lassie,
Her Georgie was forced far away o'er the foam,
His roof was the sky, his bed was the desert,
His heart with his Jinny was always at home.
'Til the morning dawned on the famed day of battle,
Found Georgie enacting a true hero's part,
'Til an enemy's bullet brought with it its billet,
And buried the dear lock of hair in his heart.
Chorus

On the banks of the Clyde dwelt a heartbroken mother,
They told her how the great victory was won.
The glory to England to her was no comfort,
The glory to her meant the loss of her son.
But Jinny is with her to comfort and shield her,
Together they weep and together they pray,
But Jinny her daughter shall be while she lives,
For the sake of that laddie that died far away.
Chorus

The Banks of the Clyde is set in the Sudan, where British soldiers found themselves fighting between 1882 and 1898. It was issued as a broadside by Charles Sanderson of Edinburgh in the 1800s and was recorded in Scotland by the BBC in 1953 from James MacGravey of Kirkcudbright. The song seemed to be popular in Canada where several renderings have been collected, but it doesn't seem to have been very widespread in England. Fred Hamer came across it in Bedfordshire and in East Anglia members of the Ling family of Blaxhall in Suffolk sang the song, as did Walter Pardon of Knapton, Norfolk. Occomore and Spratley collected a version from Mrs Raven in Essex and I also recorded it from Manny Aldous of Great Bricett, Suffolk.

Song transcribed by John Howson
Song notes: John Howson