JIM REIDI Saw the Wild Geese Flee |
The Wild Geese "Far abune the Angus straths I saw the wild geese flee; A lang, lang skein o' beatin' wings wi' their heids toward the sea." Set to music by Jim, this was originally written as a poem by Violet Jacob in 1915. The song is also known under the alternative title Norland Wind. Words by Violet Jacob, Music by Jim Reid/Springthyme Music © 1984 The Wild Geese Play full length mp3 of the song - with graphics and text. "Oh tell me fit was on yer road ye roarin Norland wind? As ye come blawin frae the land that's never frae ma mind. Ma feet they traivel England but I'm deein for the North." "Ma man, I saw the siller tides rin up the Firth o Forth." "Aye wind, I ken them weel eneuch an fine they fa and rise, And fain I'd feel the creepin mist on yonder shore that lies. But tell me as ye pass them by fit saw ye on the way?" "Ma man, I rocked the rovin gulls that sail abin the Tay." "Bit saw ye naethin leein wind afore ye come tae Fife? For there's muckle lyin 'yont the Tay that's mair tae me nor life." "Ma man, I swept the Angus braes that ye hivna trod for years." "Oh wind, forgie a hameless loon that canna see for tears." "And far abin the Angus straths I saw the wild geese flee, A lang, lang skein o beatin wings wi their heids toward the sea, And aye their cryin voices trailed ahint them on the air." "Oh wind, hae mercy, haud your wheesht for I daurna listen mair." Vinney Den Words and music by Jim Reid/Springthyme Music © 1984 The Vinney burn runs through the beautiful Vinney Den at Letham, Angus and all the places named in the song are in the same area. Jim wrote this new ballad in 1983 and it is widely accepted as one of his finest songs. As I gaed ower by Bractley Brig, 'Twas on my way tae Bowrie Fau'd; I met wi sic a bonnie lass, Wad turn the een o ony lad. Said I, "Ma dear it's gettin late, The sun's lang drapped ower Lownie Hill. Have you got very far to go?" She said, "I bide at Idvies Mill." "My faither he's the miller there, An honest man ye'll shairly ken; He'll treat ye fairly if ye'll see me Safely through the Vinney Den." I took her hand and we set aff, Tae struggle doun the burnside; The lengthenin shadows grew sae dark, My growin fear I tried tae hide. I said tae her, "Let's sing a sang, The tune will help us on oor way." She sang sae sweet I lost ma fear, She fairly stole ma hert away. But when we cam tae the Feuar's Inn, Efter we'd won through dark Vinney Den; Ma bonnie lass was taen awa, By four an twenty angry men. But she broke loose, cam rinnin back, When she saw they'd tied me tae a tree, Sayin, "Is this the thanks a laddie gets, For aa the help he's been tae me?" They listened tae her story then, They took a knife and cut me loose; They set us baith upon a horse, And led us tae her faither's hoose. Her faither was sae glad tae see That she was safe and free from harm; And I was asked if I wad fee As horseman on Auchterlownie fairm. I coorted her from that day on, An tae wed wi me she did agree; Tho auld an grey we aye will mind When she cam through the Vinney Den wi me. The Spark Among The Heather Words and music by Jim Reid/Springthyme Music © 1984 From the early 1800s onwards, thousands of ordinary men, women and children were driven from their homes and their land in the highlands and islands of Scotland. These 'clearances' allowed the landlords to introduce sheep and gain greater profit. The crofters of Glendale in Skye formed a Land League in 1882 which eventually (by 1887) resulted in an Act of Parliament to stop such evictions. When they brought us all together Told us that we had to go Leave our homes that we were born in Leave the only life we know. We were poor but honest crofters Working hard so we might stay On the land our fathers gave us Ne'er thought we'd be forced away. We replied, "We'll never leave home, Never set sail o'er the sea; Let the police come and the soldiers, To leave home we won't agree." Others have been put on board ships Sailed away out o'er the deep; Then the landlords burned their houses To make way for flocks of sheep. Then along came John McPherson, Humble crofter from Glendale; Held a meeting, formed a land league, For his efforts thrown in jail. But the spark amang the heather Soon became a burning flame; And the highlanders united Vowed they'd never leave their hame. But the glens still show the scars Of those evictions of before; And the shells of empty houses Echo laughter sounds no more. Bogie's Bonnie Belle Traditional adapted and arranged Jim Reid/Springthyme Music © 1984 A powerful love song and bothy ballad well known in various versions throughout North-East Scotland. Jim considers this his all-time favourite folk song. Ae Witsuntide at Huntly toun, 'Twas there I did agree, Wi auld Bogieside, the fairmer, A sixmonths for tae fee. Noo Bogie wis a hungery chiel, An this I knew fu well; But he had a lovely dochter, An her name wis Isabelle. Noo Belle she wis the bonniest lass, In aa the countryside; It wis very soon I lost ma hert, Tae the Belle o Bogieside. An often in the summertime, I'd wander wi ma dear; Tae watch the trouties loupin, By Bogie's water clear. I taen her by the middle sma, An I ca'd her ma wee dear; 'Twas there I taen ma will o her By Bogie's water clear. Noo nine lang months had passed an gane, An she brocht forth a son; An auld Bogie he sent efter me, Tae see what could be done. I said that I wad mairry her, But na, that wad nae dae; For I'm nae match for Bogie's Belle, An she's nae match for me. An noo I've left auld Huntlyside, I've even broke ma fee; For I couldna bear tae see ma dear Condemned tae misery. Noo I hear she's wad tae a tinkler chap That cam ower fae Huntly toun; An wi jeely pans an ladles She scoors the country roun. An mebbe she's gotten a better lad, Auld Bogie canna tell; Sae fareweel ye lads o Huntlyside An Bogie's Bonnie Belle. Busk Busk Bonnie Lassie Traditional adapted and arranged Jim Reid/Springthyme Music © 1984 A lovely traditional song from the Stewart family of Blairgowrie that has become widely popular in recent years. The song has a superb chorus, so sing and join in: 'Busk, busk bonnie lassie and come awa wi me, and I'll tak ye tae Glen Isla near bonnie Glen Shee.' "Dae ye see yon high hills, Aa covered ower wi snaw? They hae pairted mony the true love, And they'll soon pairt us twa. Busk, busk bonnie lassie and come awa wi me, And I'll tak ye tae Glen Isla near bonnie Glen Shee." "Dae ye see yon shepherd, As he gaes alang, Wi his plaidie roun aboot him, And his sheep they graze on?" Busk, busk bonnie lassie and come awa wi me, And I'll tak ye tae Glen Isla near bonnie Glen Shee." "Dae ye see yon soldiers, As they march alang, Wi their muskets on their shoulders, And their broadswords hingin doun?" Busk, busk bonnie lassie and come awa wi me, And I'll tak ye tae Glen Isla near bonnie Glen Shee." "Dae ye see yon high hills, Aa covered ower wi snaw? They hae pairted mony the true love, And they'll soon pairt us twa. Busk, busk bonnie lassie and come awa wi me, And I'll tak ye tae Glen Isla near bonnie Glen Shee." The Shearin's No For You Traditional adapted and arranged Jim Reid/Springthyme Music © 1984 This traditional song has rarely been published, but is in fact widely known in a number of different versions and must date back at least to the 1700s. Around 1820, Thomas Lyle of Paisley used the tune for his famous song Kelvingrove. "Oh the shearin's no for you ma bonnie lassie O, Oh the shearin's no for you ma bonnie lassie O, Oh the shearin's no for you for yer back it winna boo, And yer belly's rowin fu ma bonnie lassie O." "Dae ye mind yon banks o Ayr ma bonnie lassie O? Dae ye mind yon banks o Ayr ma bonnie lassie O? Dae ye mind yon banks o Ayr when ye held me in yer snare, And yer love ye did declare ma bonnie lassie O?" "Tak the buckles frae yer sheen ma bonnie lassie O, Tak the buckles frae yer sheen ma bonnie lassie O, Tak the buckles frae yer sheen for ye've married sic a loon, And yer dancin days are deen ma bonnie lassie O." "Tak the ribbons frae yer hair ma bonnie lassie O, Tak the ribbons frae yer hair ma bonnie lassie O, Tak the ribbons frae yer hair and let doun yer ringlets fair, For ye've noucht but want and care ma bonnie lassie O." "Oh the shearin's no for you ma bonnie lassie O, Oh the shearin's no for you ma bonnie lassie O, Oh the shearin's no for you for yer back it winna boo, And yer belly's rowin fu ma bonnie lassie O." Up The Noran Water Words by Helen Cruickshank, Music by Jim Reid/Springthyme Music © 1984 This poem, again set to music by Jim, comes from the pen of the late Helen Cruickshank who published the piece under the title Shy Geordie. The Noran Water flows into the South Esk near Brechin. Up the Noran Water In by Inglismaddy, Annie's got a bairnie That hasna got a daddy. Some think it's Tammas's An some think it's Chay's; An naebody expectit it, Wi Annie's quiet ways. Up the Noran Water The bonnie little mannie Is dandlit and cuddled close By Inglismaddy's Annie. Wha the bairnie's faither is The lassie never says; But some think it's Tammas's, And ithers think it's Chay's. Up the Noran Water The country folk are kind: And wha the bairnie's faither is They dinna muckle mind. But oh! the bairn at Annie's breist, The love in Annie's ee Wad mak me wish wi aa ma micht That the lucky lad wis me! And oh! the bairn at Annie's breist, The love in Annie's ee Wad mak me wish wi aa ma micht That the lucky lad wis me! Lassie Wi The Yellow Coatie Traditional arranged by Jim Reid/Springthyme Music © 1984 A song that has long been a favourite at ceilidhs, not only a lovely song, but a good old time waltz. "Lassie wi the yellow coatie, Wud ye wad a muirland jockie? Lassie wi the yellow coatie, Wud ye busk and gang wi me?" "I hae meal and milk in plenty, I hae kale and cakes fu dainty, I hae a but and ben fu gentie, [i.e. comely But I want a wife like thee." Ower the lea and through the boggie, Wi ma lassie and ma doggie, Nane on earth wud be sae vogie, [i.e. happy As ma lass and I wud be. "Haste ye lassie tae ma bosom, While the roses are in blossom, Time is precious dinna lose them, Flooers wud fade and so will we." "Lassie wi the yellow coatie, Wud ye wad a muirland jockie? Lassie wi the yellow coatie, Wud ye busk and gang wi me? Wud ye busk and gang wi me?" Flower Of Northumberland Traditional adapted and arranged Jim Reid/Springthyme Music © 1984 A concise version of this popular ballad of the fair flower of Northumberland who falls in love with a prisoner and helps him gain his freedom, and escape over the border to Scotland. A maid went by the prison door, Maids with whiles is easy won And she spied a prisoner a-standin there A-wishing he was in fair Scotland. It's, "Oh fair maid wad ye pity me?" Maids with whiles is easy won, "Wad ye steal the key and let me gang free? And I'll mak ye my lady in fair Scotland." She went untae her faither's stable, Maids with whiles is easy won, And she's stolen the steed that wis baith fleet and able, Tae cairry them on tae fair Scotland. And when they cam untae a moss, Maids with whiles is easy won, He's bad her licht aff her faither's best horse, And return again tae Northumberland. And when she cam tae her faither's ha, Maids with whiles is easy won, She's looted her low amangst them aa, [i.e. bowed down Although she's the flooer o Northumberland. Then up spoke her faither and he spoke bold, Maids with whiles is easy won, "How could ye dae so at fifteen years old And you the flooer o Northumberland." Then up spoke her mother she spoke wi a smile, "Maids with whiles is easy won; Oh ye're no the first one that he has beguiled, And ye're welcome back hame tae Northumberland." Rowan Tree Traditional adapted and arranged Jim Reid/Springthyme Music © 1984 Undoubtedly one of the most popular songs among the older generation, a song to bring tears to the eye of many a Scot when far away on a foreign shore. Oh rowan tree, oh rowan tree Ye'll aye be dear tae me, Entwined ye are wi mony ties O hame and infancy; Yer leaves were aye the first o spring Yer flooers the simmer's pride, There wisna sic a bonny tree In aa the countryside. Sae fair ye were in simmer time Wi aa yer clusters white, An.rich an gay yer autumn dress Wi berries red and bright; And on yer trunk were mony names Wha now nae mair I see, But there engraved upon ma hert Forgotten ne'er tae be. We sat alow yer spreadin shade While bairnies roun did rin, And pu'd the bonnie berries reid Their necklaces tae string; Ma mither dear, I see her still, She smiled oor sports tae see, Wi little Jeanie on her lap And Jamie at her knee. Noo aa are gane, we meet nae mair Alow the Rowan Tree. |