Lyr Req: Da Sang o' Da Papa Men (The McCalmans)

Subject: Lyr Req: Da Sang O' Da Papa Men by The McCalmans
From: Folkie Frank
Date: 28 Nov 17 - 12:21 PM

Looking for the lyrics for Da Sang O' Da Papa Men by The McCalmans from their 1984 album Ancestral Manoeuvres.

Thanks for any help.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Da Sang O' Da Papa Men by The McCalmans
From: GUEST,###
Date: 28 Nov 17 - 03:56 PM

By Vagaland (T.A. Robertson)
Date: 1957

Oot bewast da Horn o Papa
Rowin Foula doon!
Ower a hidden piece o water,
Rowin Foula doon!
Roond da boat da tide-lumps makkin
Sunlicht trowe da cloods in brakkin;
We maan geng whaar fish is takkin,
Rowin Foula doon!

No idea whether that's it or nay.

Subject: Lyr Add: DA SANG O' DA PAPA MEN (The McCalmans)
From: OldPossum
Date: 29 Nov 17 - 12:59 AM

DA SANG O' DA PAPA MEN
(Thomas Robertson)

Oot be wast o Horn o Papa
Rowin Foula doon
Ower a hidden piece o watter
Rowin Foula doon

Roond da boats da tide-lumps makin
Sunlicht trowe da cloods is brakkin
We maan geng whaar fish is takkin
Rowin Foula doon

Fishy knots wir boat haes truly
Nae misforen know
We hae towes and bowes and cappies
Ballast ida shot
Peats fir fire ita da kyettle
Tattie fir da pot

Laek a lass at's hoiden laachin
Coorted be her vooers
Papa sometimes lies in simmer
Veiled wi ask an shooers
Da apo da wilsom water
Comes da scent o flooers

We can bide ashore nae langer
We maan geng and try
We'll win back boys if we soodna
Scrime da moder dy
Fir da scent o flooers in Papa
Leds wis aa da wye


Source: The insert of the LP The McCalmans - Ancestral Manoeuvres - macs 003.

Now all we need is a translation into English ...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Da Sang O' Da Papa Men by The McCalmans
From: Folkie Frank
Date: 29 Nov 17 - 12:41 PM

Once again, my thanks to you, OldPossum.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Da Sang O' Da Papa Men by The McCalmans
From: Folkie Frank
Date: 29 Nov 17 - 02:14 PM

This is what my research turned up:
Papa and Foula are two Shetland islands. The Horn Of Papa was a headland that eventually fell into the sea.

Here is my attempt at a translation from the Shetland dialect:

Out west of the Horn of Papa
Rowing down beyond Foula
Over a hidden stretch of water
Rowing down beyond Foula

Around the boats is a high tide swell
Sunlight is breaking through the clouds
We must go to where the fish are taking bait
Rowing down beyond Foula

(Fishy knots) where boats have truly
Known no misfortune
We have (towes and bowes and cappies)
Lead shot for ballast
Peat in the kettle for fire
Potato for the pot

Like a laughing, boisterous girl
Courted be her wooers
Papa sometimes lies in summer
Veiled with (ask=mist?) and showers
There upon the wild water
Comes the scent of flowers

We can bide ashore no longer
We must go and try
We'll win back boys if we cannot
See clearly through the murk
For the scent of flowers in Papa
Leads us all the way

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Da Sang O' Da Papa Men by The McCalmans
From: mg
Date: 29 Nov 17 - 03:35 PM

great words. is it possible for owner of cd to get a copy on you tube? Or is it on youtube already? I have not checked

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Da Sang O' Da Papa Men by The McCalmans
From: Folkie Frank
Date: 29 Nov 17 - 04:15 PM

I'm not sure anymore, but I think I heard it on Spotify.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Da Sang O' Da Papa Men by The McCalmans
From: leeneia
Date: 01 Dec 17 - 08:19 PM

Thanks, everyone, for an interesting song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Da Sang o' Da Papa Men (The McCalmans)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Dec 17 - 08:48 AM

The poem apparently originally appeared in Collected Poems of Vagaland by T. A. Robertson (Lerwick: Shetland Times, 1975).

The poem has apparently been reprinted in The Windswept Isles: Shetland and Its People by Elizabeth Balneaves (London: Gifford, 1977), page 274; but, since the book is still under copyright, only "snippets" are viewable online. However, I was able to extract this much:

Oot bewast da Horn o Papa
Rowin Foula doon!
Ower a hidden piece o watter
Rowin Foula doon!
Roond da boat da tide-lumps makkin
Sunlicht trowe da clouds is brakkin;
We maan geng whaar fish is takkin,
Rowin Foula doon.

Fishy knots wir boat haes truly
Nae misforen knot.
We hae towes and bowes and cappies,
Ballast i da shott,
Paets fir fire i da kyettle,
Taaties fir da pot.

Laek a lass at's hoidin, lachin,
Coortit be her vooers,
Papa sometimes lies in Simmet
Veiled wi ask an shooers;
Dan upo da wilsom watter
Comes da scent o flooers.

We can bide ashore nae langer ?
We maun geng an try.
We'll win back boys, if we soodna
Scrime da moder-dye,
Fir da scent o flooers in Papa
Leds wis aa da wye.

[It isn't clear to me whether I have the complete poem. The poem is apparently written in the Shetland dialect. The McCalmans apparently toned down the dialect somewhat.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Da Sang o' Da Papa Men (The McCalmans)
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 03 Dec 17 - 03:30 PM

The Shetland dialect is so close to our North Yorkshire usage, that I have very little difficulty in understanding it! There's obviously our Viking connection, but that was a thousand years ago and we've been ruled by foreigners, ``ever since then.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Da Sang o' Da Papa Men (The McCalmans)
From: Folkie Frank
Date: 03 Dec 17 - 03:55 PM

Thanks for the research, Jim. Nice bit o' work there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Da Sang o' Da Papa Men (The McCalmans)
From: OldPossum
Date: 10 Jun 18 - 06:13 PM

There's a nice video here.