Forgive the sound quality, which is due to the new Fuji internal wax-cylinder mechanism. So - M'Ginty's Meal-an-Ale, Written by George Bruce Thompson circa 1910, and set to the tune of Roxburgh Castle ("...adapted and ruined..."). It features in the Grieg & Duncan collection of Scottish Folk Song with several instances in the recorded archive of the late, great Davie Stewart (obit. 1972) whose idiosynctratic (but none-the-less definitive) renderings inspire this present rough recitation by way of a Lammastide birl. As a mere Northumbrian, and a Geordie to boot, the song filters down across the border country as a thing of occult and near-incomprehensible wonder, though I could supply a rough translation on request. In essense, however, it concerns an episode of comic misrule consequent upon a pig breaking loose from its sty and getting drunk on the toddy at a harvest supper. Now read on't...
This is nae a sang o' love, nor yet a sang o' money, if there's naething very pitiful an' naething very funny;
but there's Heelan' Scotch, an' Lowlan' Scotch an' Butter Scotch an' honey; if there's nane o' them for a' there's a mixtur o' the three;
an there's nae a word o' beef-brose, sowans, sautie bannocks; nor o' pancakes and pess eggs for them wi' dainty stammacks.
But it's all aboot a meal-an'-ale that happened at Balmannocks; M'Ginty's meal-an-ale far the pig gaed on the spree.
They were howlin' in the kitchen like a caravan o' tinkies, an some wis playin' ping-pong an' tiddly-widdly-winkies;
but up the howe an doon the howe there never was such jinkies as M'Ginty's meal-an-ale far the pig gaed on the spree.
M'Ginty's pig had broken loose an wan ert tae the lobby for he'd open shoved the pantry door an came upon the toddy; and he gaed kindly tae the stuff like any human body at M'Ginty's meal-an-ale far the pig gaed on the spree.
Miss M'Ginty she ran but the hoose, but the road wis dark and crookit, she fell heelster-gowdie ower the pig for it she never lookit,
and she let oot a skirl that wad a paralyst a teuchit at M'Ginty's meal-an-ale far the pig gaed on the spree.
Young Murphy he ran after her an ower the pig wis leapin', but he trampit on an ashet that was sittin full o' dreepin -
and he feel doon an peelt his croon an' couldnae haud frae greetin' at M'Ginty's meal-an-ale far the pig gaed on the spree.
For the pantry shelf cam rickling doon and he was lying kirnin', among the soft soap the peese meal the corn floor and yirnin',
like a gollach amang the treacle but M'Ginty's wife was girnin' at the mess upon her pantry floor and wouldna let him be.
Then they a ran skirlin' tae the door, an' foon that it was ruggit; for it aye heeld the faster more, aye the more they tuggit;
til M'Ginty roared tae bring an axe, he wadnae be hum-buggit, nor even lockit in his ain hoose an' that he let them see.
So the wife cam trailin' wi the axe, an through the bar wis hackit, and open flew the door at once, so close as they were packit:
an' all the crew came tumblin' oot like tatties frae a buckit at M'Ginty's meal-an-ale far the pig gaed on the spree.
They hid spurtles, they had tattie-chappers and troth they werenae jokin', for they said the gar the pig the claw, for he was never yokin',
but by this time the lad was drunk and didnae care a dokin' at M'Ginty's meal-an-ale far the pig gaed on the spree.
Oh there's eely-pigs an jeely-pigs and pigs for haudin' butter, aye but this wee piggy was greeting drunk and tumblin' in the gutter,
til M'Ginty an' his foreman trailed him oot upon a shutter frae M'Ginty's meal-an-ale far the pig gaed on the spree.
Miss M'Ginty took the thing tae heart and hidet in the closet and they rubbit Johnny Murphy's heed wi turpentine an roset,
an they harlit him wi meal-an-ale, ye really wid suppose it, for he'd sleepit in a masons trough and risen tae the spree.
Oh weary on the barley-bree, and weary frae the widder, for its keegerin' amang the dubs an drink, they gan nae weel the-gidder,
but there's little doot M'Ginty's pig is wishin' for another o' M'Ginty's meal-an-ales far the pig gaed on the spree.
Oh they were howlin' in the kitchen like a caravan o' tinkies, aye; an some wis playing ping-pong an' tiddly-widdly-winkies;
but up the howe an doon the howe there never was such jinkies as M'Ginty's meal-an-ale far the pig gaed on the spree.
Hi-hi went the drum, diddle-diddle went the fiddle and the jing-a-ring went up an' doon an' back and through the middle;
and the jing-a-ring went roond and roond like sheelicks in a riddle at M'Ginty's meal-an-ale far the pig gaed on the spree.
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The Meal and Ale at East Letter Fairmby bennachie12,595 views
@n00bfuckup ......the pig GID on the spree.
steve998 2 months ago
Virteoso mannie! I was howlin in the kitchen like a caravan o' tinkies; Aye while some were playing ping-pong and tiddley-widdly winkies. And up the howe and doon the howe, I niver seen sic jinkies, as McGinties meal and ale, fan the pig went on the spree.
Thank you for this special stuff, dear to my memory.
n00bfuckup 1 year ago