Lyr Add: I Have Seen the Highlands (Matt McGinn)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Have Seen the Highlands (Matt McGinn)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 10:15 AM

Does anyone have a tabulation for the whistle descant in this song? Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Have Seen the Highlands (Matt McGinn)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 28 May 13 - 08:23 PM

Oh B#ll#cks, must have hit submit somehow before I'd finished editing!
Try again!(This time I'll edit in Word and paste back!)

I HAE SEEN THE HIELANDS                      MATT McGINN


I was born in dear old Glasgow in a Gallowgate tenement
When people spoke of my bonny land I didn't know what they meant
But then I took to travel, I moved far and wide,
Now when I speak of my native land I speak with loving pride

CHORUS:
I hae seen the Hielands, I hae seen the low,
And I will brag o' my native land wherever I may go

Old Nature took a tantrum, many's the age gone by
To outdo all of her wondrous works she thought she'd hae a try
She toiled and she thundered, she rumbled and she rolled
She made the Hielands o' Scotland then she threw away the mould.

CHORUS

Come rambling up by Oban, strolling down by Perth,
In the rugged hills o' Argyllshire find the sweetest place on earth
Go gazin' by the Cuillins, see the Lomond in the mist
In the lovely island of Moula hear the songbird at its best.

CHORUS

The Irish and the English, the African and the Turk,
For a world of joy and harmony together we will work,
On the shore of foreign brothers we'll lay no robber's hand,
And all we wish is to toil and work in our own native land.

CHORUS

Jim, I accept that there may well be differences as Matt was renowned for never doing quite the same twice over! And anyone who ventured to accompany him might have quite a hard time as he stopped in mid-song then resumed in another key!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Have Seen the Highlands (Matt McGinn)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 28 May 13 - 08:02 PM

Very similar to what I know of it Jim: now I'm back home here are the lyrics as they appear in the "McGinn of the Calton" Songbook: a few minor differences and a wee bit mair Scots in it!

I HAE SEEN THE HIELANDS


I was born in dear old Glasgow, in a Glasgow tenement
When people spoke of my bonny land I didn't know what they meant.
But then I took to travel, I moved far and wide
Now when I speak of my native land, I speak with loving pride

CHORUS: For I hae seen the hielands, I hae seen the low
And I will brag o' my native land
Wherever I may go

2. Oh, Nature took the tantrum
In many an age gone by
To add to all of her wondrous works
She thought she'd have a try
She toiled and she thundered
She rumbled and she roared
She made the hielands of Scotland
The glory of the world

3. Oh, strolling down by Oban
Rolling down by Perth
On the rugged coast of Argyllshire finds
The finest place on earth
Go ramblin' in the Cuillins
See Ben Lomond in the mist
On the lovely island of Mulla
Hear the songbird at its best

Subject: Lyr Add: I HAVE SEEN THE HIGHLANDS (Matt McGinn)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 May 13 - 12:36 PM

My transcription. I have boldfaced the words that are different from the ones given above.


I HAVE SEEN THE HIGHLANDS
As sung by Matt McGinn on "The Best of"

1. I was born and bred in Glasgow in a Gallowgate tenement.
When people spoke of my bonny land, I didn't know what they meant.
But then I took to travel; I roved far and wide,
And now when I speak of my native land, I speak with love and pride.
For—

CHORUS: I have seen the Hielands; I have seen the low,
And I will brag of my native land wherever I may go.

2. Old nature took a tantrum many's an age gone by.
To outdo all of her wondrous works she thought she'd have a try.
She toiled and she thundered she rumbled and she rolled.
She made the Hielands of Scotland, then she threw away the mould.

3. Come ramblin' up by Oban, strolling down by Perth.
In the rugged hills of Argyllshire find the sweetest place on earth.
Go gazing by the Cuillins; see the Lomond in the mist.
In the lovely island of Muile hear the songbird at his best

4. With the Irish and the English, the African and Turk,
For our world of joy and of harmony together we will work,
On the shores of foreign brothers, we'll lay no robber's hand,
And all we wish is to toil and live in our own native land.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Have Seen the Highlands (Matt McGinn)
From: GUEST,Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 May 13 - 09:16 PM

Sorry that was me, away from home sans cookie, limited tech so can't give you links at present, but you can hear Matt McGinn himself singing this on YouTube, with full set of lyrics below the screen!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Have Seen the Highlands (Matt McGinn)
From: GUEST
Date: 23 May 13 - 09:09 PM

The 4th verse as is more usually sung below. And there are some radically changed words in some of the other verses too, so I'll post the full set later.

The Irish and the English, the African and the Turk,
In a world of joy and of harmony together we must work,
On the shores of foreign brothers, we'll lay no robber's hand,
And all we ask is to toil and live in our own native land.

As relevant today as when it was written!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Have Seen the Highlands (Matt McGinn)
From: Art Thieme
Date: 23 May 13 - 03:57 PM

I, too, appreciate seeing these words again, A long time ago I taped it from folk radio in Chicago as sung by McGinn. Many more should hear it. A great tune he put it to.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Have Seen the Highlands (Matt McGinn)
From: GUEST,Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 May 13 - 11:58 AM

As the original poster says, these may not be the original words. The 4th verse as quoted here rings no bells at all with me, and the one I partly remember is totally different. Can't access the lyrics right now but will post later

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Have Seen the Highlands (Matt McGinn)
From: GUEST,Reiver 2
Date: 22 May 13 - 06:31 PM

Forgive me for not responding before now. Circumstances intervened. But I thank you for posting these lyrics!! They are, indeed, the ones I was looking for,

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Hae Seen the Hielands
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 20 Jan 11 - 04:18 AM

I occassionally do the song at our club. It was written by Matt McGinn. Because I live in the Borders it is much more common to hear his "Rolling Hills Of The Borders" at local sessions.

http://www.mattmcginn.info/

The link has a few of his songs on it some by hom and some by other singers

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: I Hae Seen the Hielands
From: EllenV
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 08:52 PM

I should add that it's apparently not very well-known (which is definitely unfortunate).

Subject: Lyr Add: I HAVE SEEN THE HIGHLANDS (Matt McGinn)
From: EllenV
Date: 19 Jan 11 - 08:46 PM

I'm not positive who wrote this song, but it's been recorded (under this name or the Anglicized "I Have Seen the Highlands") by three artists that I know of: The McCallums, Matt McGinn, and Charlie Zahm.

It's a tremendous song -- as far as I can tell, authorship credits go to Matt McGinn, although I think these words (transcribed from CZ's version) differ somewhat from the original.

I HAE SEEN THE HIGHLANDS
(Matt McGinn?)

1. I was born and bred in Scotland
In a Glasgow tenement
And when people spoke of my bonny land
I didn't know what they meant
But then I took to travel
And I roamed far and wide
And now when I sing of my native land
I sing with love and pride

CHORUS: I hae seen the hielands
I hae seen the low
And I will sing of my native land
Wherever I may go

2. Oh, Nature took the tantrum
In many an age gone by
To add to all of her wondrous works
She thought she'd have a try
She toiled and she thundered
She rumbled and she roared
She made the hielands of Scotland
The glory of the world

3. Oh, strolling down by Oban
Rolling down by Perth
On the rugged coast of Argyllshire finds
The finest place on earth
Go ramblin' in the Cuillins
See Ben Lomond in the mist
On the lovely island of Mulla
Hear the songbird at its best

4. And now that I am older
My children long since gone
I've sung to them of our glory days
As golden as the dawn
And when my years are over
And my final breath has passed
I'll ask for only my hieland hame
Where I'll take my rest