The Mains o Pittendree

On Autumn Harvest AH 005
Gordon Easton - The Last of the Clydesdales

Gordon Easton sings:

An original poem by JC Milne of Memsie was adapted by the Rev Charlie Burnie of Tyrie with a tune put to it by Gordon. A young loon leaving school to start work on the farm plans that all will ‘go with a bang’.

1: I'll swype the graip an bed the kye tae keep them fine an clean,
An tousel oot their bonnie tails till they aa look like a queen;
I'll gie them bits o ilecake an black trykle on their strae,
An aye a shafe o corn fin it comes tae Hogmanay.
An the coggie will be winkin fu afore the udder's teem,
The piggie in the milk-hoose will be lippin fu o ream,
And the kebbocks they'll taste sweeter than the honey o the bee,
Fin I am eence the orraloon at Mains o Pittendree.

2: I'll big ma cairt o slidderie shaves, I'll big it fine and square,
An haud the corners braw weel oot an nivver turn a hair;
An ma load it winna look jist like a craw's nest in a tree,
Fin I am eence the orra loon at Mains o Pittendree.
Syne fen a the rucks are thackit and the rakin's in as well,
I'll set me doon afore a basin fu o meal an ale;
Syne I'll birl Jean the kitchie deem till she is like tae flee,
Fin I am aince the orra loon at Mains o Pittendree.

3: Then the corn shaves gang bummin throu James Calder's thrashin mull,
I'll haul awa yon stewie cap in a beezer o a scull;
I'll eat up aa ma denner, stovies, yirn-milk an kail,
For weel I ken that slow at maet means slow at work as well.
Aye and if I micht be putten tae the most it skill me nae,
Tae set the peats in rickles on a bonnie simmer's day;
It's I'll nae licht ma pipe instead o workin for ma fee,
Fin I am eence the orra loon at Mains o Pittendree.

4: If fan I'm rowin oot the muck I tummle ower a sharnie neep,
An lat the cowpit barra sklyter ben the slittery greep;
I'll nae spick back wi impidence if Mains gets on tae me,
Nor threatens me wi doon the road fae Mains o Pittendree.
Aye it's jist a fornicht noo or I maun leave the Memsie skweel,
Guid fa yon sonsie wifie that his tried tae lairn me weel,
Bit I'll mebbe think upon 'er wi a tear drap in my ee,
When I am eence the orraloon at Mains o Pittendree,
Aye when I am eence the orraloon at Mains o Pittendree.

c p 2007 Autumn Harvest AH005
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