GONE ARE THE STRONG ONES
As sung by Christine Kydd on "Gentle Giants" (2004)

1. Gone are the strong ones I knew in my day,
Broad-backed, big-legged, not much to say.
They did their work well though they got little pay.
We'll not see their likes any more.

2. I grew up on a highland farm with Dolly, Jock, and Dick.
Dick would take us into town to meet the train from Wick
Slow and safe along the road—tick-tock, tick-tock, tick—
Counting every flower along the way.

3. Dolly was so good with bairns; though I was only nine
I worked her with trace and long rope at the harvest time,
Looped the rope around the rick and pull it into line
So Jock and Dick could haul the hairst away.

4. Jock was a big one, a true-bred Clydesdale brown,
Thick hair and heavy feet, perfect for the plough.
He'd pull from dawn to sunset on any kind of ground.
The Clydesdales earned their oats and hay.

[Repeat 1.]

5. The Clydesdale horse was bred, they say, to carry armoured knights.
I learned that at Newmore School and teacher was always right.
They'd take so long to get up speed, they'd be late for the fight,
But they'd smash down anybody in their way.

6. But one year the grass sickness hit the north full hard.
It killed so many horses, it raged near and far.
Dolly, Jock, and Dick went to knacker's yard.
The tractor towed them away.

[Repeat 1.]