Lyr Req: The Scotsman's Kilt (from The Dubliners)

Subject: need lyrics and title to a dubliners song
From: GUEST,Erik L
Date: 10 Nov 00 - 02:28 AM

...at least i was told the dubliners had done it... If anyone can help, i'm looking for the song title and lyrics to a song whose topic is about a scotsman who is found drunk in the street, and a passerby decides to see if its true what is woorn under a kilt. when they find nothing they tie a blue ribbon around him, upon waking at the call of nature he discovers the ribbon and says that he didn't know where he had been but he had won first prize. any help is appreciated. thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: need lyrics an title to a dubliners
From: Clifton53
Date: 10 Nov 00 - 02:43 AM

The song is called "The Scotsman", or "The Scotsman's Kilt". Look in the DT under S.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: need lyrics an title to a dubliners
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 10 Nov 00 - 01:43 PM

The easiest way to look for things in the Digital Tradition database and in the Forum is to go to the "Digitrad and Forum Search" box on the main Forum page, type in a song title or keywords (in this case, scotsman's kilt will do the job nicely, though you do need the apostrophe) and click "Go".  Here is a direct link to the file:  Scotsman's Kilt

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Scotsman's Kilt (from The Dubliners)
From: GUEST,J. Bronson
Date: 30 Aug 11 - 10:46 PM

Song recorded by Brian Bowers is the best version. Its called the "The Drunken Scotsman."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Scotsman's Kilt (from The Dubliners)
From: Jim McLean
Date: 31 Aug 11 - 11:18 AM

I'd be very surprised if the Dubliners ever recorded this.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Scotsman's Kilt (from The Dubliners)
From: PHJim
Date: 31 Aug 11 - 02:12 PM

The Scotsman was written by Mike Cross, and while Bryan Bowers does a fine job of singing it, Mike does an equally fine job.

A Scotsman clad in kilt left the bar one evening fair
And one could tell by how he walked that he'd drunk more than his share
He fumbled 'round until he could no longer keep his feet
And he stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street
Ring-ding-diddle-liddle-I-de-o, ring-di-diddley-I-deet
Oh, he stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street

About that time two young and lovely girls just happened by
One says to the other with a twinkle in her eye
See yon sleeping Scotsman so strong and handsome built
I wonder if it's true what they don't wear beneath the kilt
Ring-ding-diddle-liddle-I-de-o, ring-di-diddley-I-dilt
I wonder if it's true what they don't wear beneath the kilt

They crept up on that sleeping Scotsman quiet as could be
Lifted up his kilt about an inch so they could see
And there behold for them to view beneath his Scottish skirt
Was nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth
Ring-ding-diddle-liddle-I-de-o, ring-di-diddley-I-dirth
Nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth

They marveled for a moment then one said we must be gone
Let's leave a present for our friend before we move along
As a gift they left a blue silk ribbon tied into a bow
Around the bonnie star the Scots kilt did lift and show
Ring-ding-diddle-liddle-I-de-o, ring-di-diddley-I-dow
Around the bonnie star the Scots kilt did lift and show

Now the Scotsman woke to nature's call and stumbled towards the trees
Behind the bush he lifts his kilt and gawks at what he sees
And in a startled voice he says to what's before his eyes
Och, Lad I don't know where you've been but I see you won first prize

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Scotsman's Kilt (from The Dubliners)
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 31 Aug 11 - 03:42 PM

Mike Cross does a good job of the song - in fact several good jobs of variations that have appeared in his performances. While his recordings are © and his arrangements are significantly different than those of several other performers, it is extremely doubtful that he "wrote the song" in any common-sense sense.

The "song" in fact appeared as a poem "sent in by a reader" in the "Reader's Digest" that my mother subscribed to in order to "gives us kids some eddycashun" ca. 1947 - 1951. It seemed to get recycled at least once a year, and in one year I believe it appeared 3 times, each time "credited" to a different subscriber. Naturally none of the submitters gave credit to anyone.

Each of a half dozen performers whose versions I've heard has done some variation on the words, and there are some really vast differences in tune and accompaniment.

Mike's most common version as I've heard it in several perfomances uses the line:

He staggered on until he could no longer keep his feet

rather than:

He fumbled 'round until he could no longer keep his feet

I couldn't argue that he's never used anything someone might quote - for any of "his" songs - as he does get tired of doing it all the same old way (and occasionally nearly totals a song everyone likes by trying to "change it" a bit too much). Give him credit though, he's getting on in years - approaching post adolescence or something.

(He will perform in Winfield KS at the WVA Festival in a week or so if you wanna drop in.)

John