Lyr Req: Festival of Keith song

Subject: Lyr Req: Festival of Keith song
From: robinia
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 02:31 PM

I have a tape of this song for the longstanding Festival of Keith (outside of Aberdeen), was once told but since forgotten what the first words of the chorus meant -- something very simple, like "come along" (but of course it's the simple words that are most changed in dialectical speech).   Anyway, here's the song, and I'd be grateful for anyone who can help fill in the blanks:

Noo, we've a' come here togither for a friendly gather-roond
We've music of a mixture that'll shock ye to the foond (?)
An' a grand auld Scots tradition, be ye auld or cutting teeth,
We extend a warm welcome tae the festival of Keith.

   (Hedda gyang???) lad and lassies, (same phrase)
    have a ----- wi' the music if ye can.
   Be it whistle, box, or fiddle, bothy ballad or a diddle,
    hedda gyang, lads and lassies, ????????

Noo there's something here for all of ye that's musically inclined,
   wl' twa's and three's and soloists, and whiles the lot combined,
they come from a' the hairts (hearts) and pairts (parts), frae Aich ---- tae Brede
it's a grand weekend of music at the festival of Keith.   Chorus

Noo there's nae discrimination, be ye up or be ye doon,
be ye businessman or scaffie (?), be a clerk or be a loon.
We dinna care a dochie (?) just so lang's ye can bequeath
success is never-ending at the festival of Keith.   Chorus

Noo if yer bluid be sluggish an' yer circulation poor
gin anything be wrong wi' you, we have a ready cure
in this friendly little toonie, midst the heather, hills and heath
we've a cure for a' yer ailments at the festival of Keith.   Chorus

Good luck on figuring this out!

Subject: Lyr Add: FESTIVAL O KEITH (Ian Middleton)
From: Drumshanty
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:22 PM

FESTIVAL O KEITH (Ian Middleton)

We've a' come here thegither for a family gaither-roon
We hae music o mixture that'll shak ye t' the foon
In the grand aul Scots tradition, be ye aul cuttin teeth
We extend a warm welcome t' the Festival at Keith

Hud er gyan, lads and lassies, hud er gyan, hud er gyan
Mak the hills ring wi' the music if ye can
Be it fussle, box or fiddle
Bothy ballad or a diddle
Hud er gyan, lads and lassies, hud er gyan

There's something here for a'body that's musically inclined
There's twa's and three's an soloists, an files the lot combined
They come fae a' the airts and pairts – fae Ettrick tae Dunbeath
For a gran weekeyne o music at the Festival o Keith

There's nae discrimination, be ye up or be ye doon
Be ye businessman or scaffie, be ye clerk or orraloon
We dinna care a docken, jist as lang's ye can bequeath
A success that's nivver endin t the Festival o Keith

So if yer bleed be sluggish or yer circulation poor
Or fitivver else is wrang wi' ye, we hae a ready cure
In the freenly little toonie, midst the heather, hills and heath
There's a cure for a' yer ailments at the Festival o Keith

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Festival of Keith song
From: Drumshanty
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:35 PM

"Hud er gyan" - well, I've alway understood it to mean something like "keep going" or "keep it up".

A scaffie is a binman and a docken, I think, is a dock leaf, but "dinna care a docken" would mean something like "don't care much for".

I'm originally from the north-east but any Doric I might have had was Englished out of me at school. So, there's others kicking about the forum that know more than me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Festival of Keith song
From: Drumshanty
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:38 PM

Typo alert. The first verse should read:

We've a' come here thegither for a family gaither-roon
We hae music o a mixture that'll shak ye t' the foon
In the grand aul Scots tradition, be ye aul or cuttin teeth
We extend a warm welcome t' the Festival at Keith

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Festival of Keith song
From: Effsee
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:54 PM

"Hud er gyan"..."Hold her going."
" fussle"...whistle.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Festival of Keith song
From: Effsee
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:27 PM

"shak ye t' the foon"...shake you to the foundation.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Festival of Keith song
From: GUEST,AT
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 02:21 PM

"Dinna care a docken" means that it doesn't matter to them. In the context of the song, your occupation makes no difference. "Orra loon" being the lowest of the old farm servants who would have done all the jobs no one else wanted to do "the orra jobs" hence "Orra loon"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Festival of Keith song
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 04:07 PM

As the only Englishman ever to have played rugby for Huntly Town I have fond memories of Keith and the surrounding area when I worked for Baxters at Fochabers.

Roger