Lyr Req: Jock Geddes and the Sow

Subject: Jock Geddes and the sow
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 05:32 AM

This song (from Willie Scott, included in volume 13 of The Voice of the People) tells a great story, but I would be grateful for any explanation of one phrase.

When Jock emerges from his drunken stupor and realises that it is not one of his girlfriends kissing him but a sow licking his whisky-tainted mouth, the song says that Jock "looking up saw Sandy Campbell".

Who or what was Sandy Campbell and why should that name be applied to a sow?

Richard

Subject: RE: Jock Geddes and the sow
From: MartinRyan
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 05:53 AM

Seems to be a Scottish nickname for a pig. Click here for a sample reference. No idea of the origin, though this one suggests some sort of folkloric substitution, as far as I can see.

Regards

Subject: RE: Jock Geddes and the sow
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 06:14 AM

Chambers Scots Dictionary gives Sandy Campbell as 'a pig'.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Jock Geddes and the sow
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 03:02 PM

Jim points out
> Chambers Scots Dictionary gives Sandy Campbell as 'a pig'.

And that prompts me to look in The Scots Dialect Dictionary (Warrack, Waverley Books), where I find the same.

That and the link provided by Martin still leave unexplained why that particular name should apply.

Anyway, I need either to find a substitute, if I'm to sing the song in English, or to give up and sing it in Scots.

Richard

Subject: RE: Jock Geddes and the sow
From: Megan L
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 03:15 PM

I have no idea about the date of this song therefore cannot answer with certainty. It is entirely possible that one Sandy Campbell was perhaps some champion pig breeder in the area of the song. Depending on age however there is another possible candidate, one Alexander Campbell a renowned singer and collector of songs. Alexander (Sandy ) Campbell

Subject: Lyr Add: JOCK GEDDES AND THE SOO
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 May 09 - 01:14 AM

This aroused my curiosity, so I went looking for lyrics, and I found this, but I think it's incomplete; there seems to be a verse or two missing at the beginning. I had to piece together several "snippets" to get this much.

From a journal: Tocher; Tales, Songs, Tradition, [Edinburgh] School of Scottish Studies, Edinburgh University, nos. 25-30, page 44:

JOCK GEDDES AND THE SOO

...(?)

For Jock at mairket whiles got fou — [drunk
The place where scamps were there tae take him –
And so his mither at the door
Cries, "Come hame sober, Jock, ye nickum!"

REFRAIN: Braw, braw to bey weel likit [be
Braw, braw to bey sae bonnie:
Owre weel likit winna dae —
Sae muckle thocht on be sae mony. [by

But Jock as yaisual suin forgot [usual soon
The plain injunctions o his mither:
The mairket made him awfa dry —
The cyair wis whisky, deil anither! [cure

He met a freen as dry's himsel
An awa they went to weet their wezans: [throats
Glass efter glass they drank until
The total number cam to dizens.

Jock rase at last an made for hame:
He hedna taen his mother's biddin:
He couldna thrive – he tripped an fell
Wi aa his len'th alang the midden.

Jock jist lay still, fell fast asleep:
The drink had fairly stopped his kickin.
The soo cam by an smelt his mou,
An likin that, commenced the lickin!

Th'enormous soo still lickit on:
Cries Jock, "Noo, Jean, haud aff, that's plenty!
Let Kirsty hae a smack or twa,
For A'm shair ye hae haen mair than twenty!" [sure

At last his sober sense came roon
An lookin up saw Sandy Cam'ell
"Ye muckle, nesty, ugly brute,
Nae mair upon me will ye wammle! [roll

Jock rase an spat for near an 'oor:
The soo had played an awfu plisky! [trick
The pig was killed that very next day,
An Jock has niver since taen whisky.

Braw, braw, to bey weel likit,
Braw, braw it is, but bless me,
Owre weel likit winna dae —
A never thocht a soo would kiss me!