Lyr Req: The Bloody Sarks (from The Corries)

Subject: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: GUEST,Tony
Date: 02 Apr 02 - 11:57 PM

Can anyone help me with the lyrics? I am having trouble with some of the Scots words on the Corries CD I have.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: swirlygirl
Date: 03 Apr 02 - 01:39 PM

Wish I knew all the words cos it' a bloody great song!...can you post the words you're having problems with or tell me where they come in the song and I'll have a go for you?

:)

xxx

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: swirlygirl
Date: 03 Apr 02 - 01:41 PM

Actually the best thing to do would be to email my brother ([e-mail]) as he sings it!

Tell him his wee sister sent ya and I'll let him know what it's about! He won't mind!

:)

xx

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 03:48 AM

Aw, hey! Whit aboot the rest o' us??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: Tam the bam fraeSaltcoatsScotland
Date: 04 Apr 02 - 04:01 AM

here's a corries web site,

you can e-mail Gavin Browne (Ronnie's son)http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Gavin_Browne/home1.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: GUEST,Tony
Date: 05 Apr 02 - 12:11 AM

I e-mailed your big bro swirlygirl but no response as yet. Problems start in the first verse:

The young MacGregor o' Glenstrea wi eighty o' his men Upon the Argyles ...... wi .... cam The burnin', theivin', Heighland lad drove a' the beasts awa An' left behind twelve dirked men to perish in the sna

I will dig out my transcription and post more verses if anyone can help.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 05 Apr 02 - 03:40 AM

Thanks Tam frae Saltcoats---Boab frae Irvine........

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BLOODY SARKS (sung by the Corries)
From: Tam the bam fraeSaltcoatsScotland
Date: 05 Apr 02 - 05:08 AM

The words to THE BLOODY SARKS which is a song about the massacre that happened in Glen Fruin, which is next to Faslane on the west coast of Scotland.

1.
The young McGregor o Glen Strae wi eighty o his men,
Upon the Argyll sleekit word pit Finla's glen a flame,
The burning theiving hieland rant drove a the beast awa
And left ahint twa dirkit men to perish in the snaw.

2.
By Fallisdall the letter come frae black Dumbarton toon
To show the way they were tae bring McGreogor doon
The bloody sarks o butchered men tae Jamie's court maun gae
The widow women for to show and tell of the afray

3.
Collquone o Luss could thole nae mair wi trampeled savaged pride
Buchanan levies mounted up to tan McGreogor hide
From Leven's vale, Dumbarton toon and all these lowland parts
The burgesses and fairmers came wi vengeance in their hearts

4.
The Campbell and the Cameron, MacDonald o Glecoe
Ranked alang wi Gregorach and marched o'er the snaw
Far o'er the loch frae Arklet glen and doon the past Parlan
By Loch Long whose shores are held by the thieves o MacFarlane

5.
Collquone wi his lowland mob lined o'er the Fruin glen
Five hundred foot, arrayed aboot three hundred moutned men
Yon godless hoard o Gregorach and others o their kind
Will creep nae mair frae their lair wi murdering in their minds

6.
Aye whether be it for some stirks or just a ween o blacks
They’re ay'ways quick thier dirks to stick in ain anither backs
For honest men and guid Scots law we'll tramp the vermin oot
Just steady bide God's on our side o that there is nae doubt

7.
Then like a torrent frae the glen McGreogor's scarlet charge
The sassenach could ne'er withstand the claymore and the targe
And all around the hellish screams o torn and dying men
Their precious blood seeped in the mud and drained in Fruin Glen

8.
And every beast was lead awa a full twa thoosand heid
And the sairest price the victors paid was twa McGreogors dead
But bide ye yet the victor's feast the worst still to show
For the king proclaimed the Gregorach henceforth to be outlaw

9.
Aye the bold Mcgregor and his clan were a declared outlaw

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 7-Apr-02.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: Yorkshire Tony
Date: 07 Apr 02 - 07:09 PM

Thanks Tam

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: swirlygirl
Date: 07 Apr 02 - 08:46 PM

Sorry, my bro can be a bit slow sometimes...I've already given him a nudge before your posting...

...suppose it's all a bit redundant now anyway!

:)

xxx

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: Yorkshire Tony
Date: 07 Apr 02 - 09:19 PM

Thanks anyway swirlygirl.

There are just a few words which I don't understand - can you (or Tam) help:

sleekit word; thole; a ween o blacks

Cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: GUEST,Scabby Doug at work
Date: 08 Apr 02 - 10:41 AM

Sleekit: Burns uses it in To a Mouse with the meaning of sleek/glossy-coated, but it's more commonly used to mean sly or sneaky.
thole: to suffer, endure
a wheen: many, plenty,lots of - the "blacks" in the context may refer to black cattle, but I'm not sure...

Cheers

Steven

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: Yorkshire Tony
Date: 08 Apr 02 - 07:16 PM

Thanks. I was familiar with the mouse usage of sleekit but the sly, sneeky meaning makes better sense in the context.

Reading the lyrics in full got me intersted in the historical event. There is a summary at http://personal.atl.bellsouth.net/atl/g/r/griogair/Index.htm then follow the history links to Glen Fruin if anyone else is interested. The song matches quite well - does anyone know when it was written and who by?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Bloody Sarks by the Corries
From: Tam the bam fraeSaltcoatsScotland
Date: 11 Apr 02 - 09:32 AM

It was a poem by William Scobie the music by Ronnie Browne. I don't know when the poem was written.

Tom

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bloody Sarks (from The Corries)
From: GUEST,Murdoch MacLennan
Date: 01 Jul 19 - 03:48 PM

CORRECTED LYRICS:

The young McGregor o Glen Strae wi eighty o his men
Upon the Argyll's sleekit word pit Finla's glen a flame
The burning thieving hieland rant drove a the beasts awa
And left ahint twa dirkit men to perish in the snaw

By Fallisdall the letter come frae black Dumbarton toon
To show the way they were to gae to bring McGregor doon
The bloody sarks o butchered men tae Jamie's court maun gae
The widow women for to show and tell of the afray

Colquhoun o Luss could thole nae mair wi trampelled savaged pride
Buchanan levies mounted up to tan McGregor hide
From Leven's vale, Dumbarton toon, and all these lowland parts
The burgesses and fairmers came wi vengeance in their hearts

The Campbell and the Cameron, MacDonald o Glencoe
Ranked alang wi Gregorach and marched o'er the snow
Far o'er the loch frae Arklet glen and doon the pass Parlane
By Loch Long whose shores are held by the thieves o MacFarlane

Colquhoun wi his windy lowland mob lined o'er the Fruin glen
Five hundred foot, arrayed aboot, three hundred mounted men
Yon godless hoard o Gregorach and others o their kind
Will creep nae mair frae their thievin lair wi murdering in their minds

Aye whether be it for some stirks or just a ween o blacks
They’re ay'ways quick their dirks to stick in ain anither's backs
For honest men and guid Scots law we'll tramp the vermin oot
Just steady bide God's on our side o that there is nae doubt

Then like a torrent frae the glen McGregor's scarlet charge
The sassenach could ne'er withstand the claymore and the targe
And all around the hellish screams o torn and dying men
Their precious blood seeped in the mud and drained in Fruin Glen

And every beast was lead awa, a full twa thoosand heid
And the sairest price the victors paid was twa McGregors dead
But bide ye yet the victor's feast the worst still to show
For the king proclaimed the Gregorach henceforth to be outlaw

Aye the bold McGregor and his clan were a declared outlaw
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