Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 23 - 08:19 AM

Ken Campbell and Chris Miller - "The Piper's Maggot" LP 1981 :
https://youtu.be/AV-7O0u5hXc

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Mar 18 - 08:54 AM

I came across this thread as my wife asked me to find the lyrics to the song. My father in law who was in the Argylls during the Second World War, apparently used to sing this at family parties. Having read the lyrics, it must have been an absolute hoot when he sang it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,Ken Campbell
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 02:55 PM

By chance I have just come across this thread.

Chris Miller and I did indeed record this song way back in the 80's.

Basically I picked up part of the song somewhere along the way on our musical tours in Scotland. It emerged that it had a connection with the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders regiment when they were stationed in Shanghai a long time ago.

I wrote to the regimental magazine who published an article about it, and an old soldier came forward with all the words, and the whole story behind the song.

We then recoded the song using Northumbrian Small pipes, and fiddle, and an enormous Chinese Gong that we hired.

It become a big hit as part of our live sets traveling round the country, and even today is still get letters from families who have picked it up saying their grandfathers used to sing it.

Some of the wording may not be politically correct these days, but I didn't write it, and in a way we were tipping our hats to the older generation of soldiers whom we respect.

If anyone is interested they can contact me at www.linskenscotland.scot

Ken Campbell

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Jul 17 - 04:08 PM

I just can't believe I've found people talking about this song - My dad was in the Argyll's and sang this song - wonderful - thank you everyone. WOW be really good if somebody would upload it to youtube.....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,Marlowe.
Date: 31 Mar 17 - 05:11 AM

Still searching for a download of this, which I first heard in 1972

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,kevin burke
Date: 17 Mar 17 - 09:57 AM

My mum passed this song on to me and we would sing it as a party piece . the words were slightly different but iam so glad to have some more verses :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 08 Nov 16 - 06:22 PM

The late Allan Law used to sing this very lively song at Ardentinny and many other sessions around Argyll (and Scotland!)
There is a faint possibility I caught it on tape -- but sadly I may not live long enough to ever manage to trawl through the hunners o' hoo'rs of recordings.
Oh well, still have the sound of it in my memory!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 08 Nov 16 - 01:41 PM

If Max's Magic Homemade Site Search is to be believed, the term "piper's maggot" has never before been posted on a Mudcat thread.
This beggars belief. I had to go outside the Mudcat Cafe to discover that "piper's maggot" means "earworm."
Max's Search advises me that Mudcat threads have many, many mentions of "earworm."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,Lizboo
Date: 08 Nov 16 - 05:27 AM

My dad was in the Argyll's during the war and used to sing this song.

instead of 'Hajatanga, hajatanga', like Sham Shui* he sang 'dingadung o' hud yir tongue a' like Sham Shui .. and would end the song with .. 'Bung' ( like a deep bell)lol .. I loved him singing this :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,nancy
Date: 09 Jun 16 - 03:52 AM

Hi, I'm trying to finda downloadable recording of Heilan King O China for my father. He has dementia and we're trying to compile a personal playlist for him. It was his party piece at family gatherings after a dram! thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,Catherine
Date: 25 Feb 14 - 08:19 PM

Hi Katie, you must have had a Mum like mine, that was 'one' of her party pieces...and she was called Katie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,Jim Marlowe
Date: 03 Jul 13 - 05:14 AM

It has been nearly 45 years since I heard that song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: OldPossum
Date: 26 Jan 13 - 08:53 AM

Thank you Kenny, well done! I am glad I didn't try to transcribe it! However, I think I can supply the missing line in the third verse:

Ah nearly thought the roof it went
For ah beat them a' in China.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 23 Jan 13 - 10:02 AM

Bravo, Kenny.

Subject: Lyr Add: HEILAN' KING O' CHINA (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 23 Jan 13 - 09:57 AM

"The Hieland King O' China" – as recorded by Ken Campbell & Chris Miller

[ unfortunately, there are a few words I can't make out at all. If I get down to "Celtic Connections" and see Chris, I'll ask him. Best I can do in the meantime. ]

1 –    "Oh ah'm a Scotsman oot and in,
       And ah'm jist new back frae wee Peking,
       A' the lassies, every yin,
       They fell for me in China.
       When ah landed, they danced wi' glee,
       They washed ma feet wi' cups o' tea.
       They were awfae glad tae see
       A Scotsman oot in China".

Chorus : "Camaflagee, camaflagee, no can dooey
          Hajatanga, hajatanga, like Sham Shui*
          Whit dae ye think o' ma wee thingamee noo ?
          Ah'm the Hieland King O' China"

2 –    "When the Empress o' China heard about me,
       Of course, ma' self she had tae see.
       Ah was invited for scones and tea
       Wi' the empress o' China.
       In love wi' me she quickly got,
       She asked if I would share her lot,
       So aff we went and we tied the knot,
       Noo ah'm the Hieland King o' China"

Chorus.

3 –   "Tae a Chinese wedding eence ah went,
       Forty single fellows they did consent
       [ Dearly   ???????????????????? ]
       But ah beat them a' in China.
       There wis one named Mister Bak Bak Chow,
       He kicked up a helluva row.
       Whit dae ye think o' the Argylls now,
       Stationed here in China ?"

Chorus.

4 – "When Britain went tae war wi' Germany,
      She [ ??????????????? ] so she sent for me.
      Ye should ha'e seen the Germans flee
      Fae the Hieland King o' China.
      Ma kilt aboon ma knees did fly,
      Says I, "Ma boys, come on, och aye"
      Hitler said "By God we'll die.
      Here comes the Hieland King o' China"

Chorus.

* - seem to recall from the sleeve notes that "Sham Shui" was a popular beer.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 23 Jan 13 - 08:10 AM

I have this on tape - give me a few hours and I'll get back to you. Chris and Ken were a very popular duo round the Scottish folk clubs in the eighties. haven't seen Ken for a few years, but Chris plays regularly at the "Babbity Bowster's" session in Glasgow on Saturday afternoons.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Heilan' King o' China (Miller & Campbell)
From: GUEST,katie
Date: 22 Jan 13 - 09:12 PM

The Heilan King o' China was my late mother's party piece and a favourite with all our family.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hieland king of china
From: GUEST,Chris J
Date: 12 Mar 10 - 10:13 AM

I just came across this old topic, trawling for something else entirely.
I have a copy of this LP .... get in touch if you're still interested
Chris Jordan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hieland king of china
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Jan 04 - 10:24 AM

Well, I've now tried Googling with all the following spellings and still failed to come up with any more information.

"Heilan' King o' China"
"Heilan' King of China"
"Heiland King o' China"
"Heiland King of China"
"Hielan' King o' China"
"Hielan' King of China"
"Hieland King o' China"
"Hieland King of China"
"Highlan' King o' China"
"Highlan' King of China"
"Highland King o' China"
"Highland King of China"

I guess we'll have to wait for someone who owns the Miller/Campbell album to transcribe it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hieland king of china
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 10:06 PM

Full Topic discography is at the Musical Traditions site: Musical Traditions

12TS423 The Piper's Maggot. Chris Miller & Ken Campbell:

Piper's Maggot / Hector the Hero / Left Handed Fiddler / Diggins / Cuddly Clauder / Mally Stewart / When the Tide Comes In / Norwegian Wedding March / Hamburger Polka / Adieu France / Farewell to Gartly / Danny Deever / Honourable James Ramsay / Speed the Plough / Auld Bougar / Meeting of the Waters / Stool of Repentance / Captain Jimmy Thompson / Heilan' King O' China / Boots of Malin / Dancing Feet.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hieland king of china
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 09:51 PM

Chris Miller and Ken Campbell made an LP called "The Piper's Maggot" (Topic 12TS423), 1981. I haven't been able to find a track list for it, though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hieland king of china
From: OldPossum
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 02:39 PM

I have this on an old cassette tape (I used to tape folk radio programs back in the early eighties). Can't help with the lyrics, but the performers are Chris Miller and Ken Campbell. On another track they played a couple of Norwegian dance tunes on the Scottish smallpipes (similar to the Northumbrian smallpipes, I guess). Weird stuff! But it sounds great.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hieland king of china
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 03:08 PM

no luck googling on every variant spelling I could think of.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: hieland king of china
From: GUEST,john in oakland
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 02:52 PM

alas, no one has heard this?   concerned an Argyll regiment stationed in the far east; was played on Thistle back in the early years I think.

Subject: Lyr Req: hieland king of china
From: GUEST,john in oakland
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 07:17 PM

heard a song on Thistle (or maybe Ballads, Bards, & Bagpipes?) back in the early '80s or so, can't seem to find the lyrics anywhere now. I believe the title was "The Hieland King of China", but anyhow that phrase was oft-repeated in the song. It concerned the fanciful exploits of a troop of Highlanders (Argyll I think) stationed in the Far East.   Portions went something like this:

"When Britain went to war with Germany,
she [something something something]so she sent for me,
you should ha' seen those Germans flee
frae the Hieland King o' China"

and the chorus (mix of pidgin & nonsense words)went something like this (phonetically):

"Cawapungee cawapungee hookanduie,
hadjutanna hadjutanna want shamshuie, [adjutant I want...?]
whaddaya thinkin' o' me, think o' me now,
I'm the Hieland King o' China."

ring any bells?

thanks,
john in oakland