Henry's Songbook

Jock Stewart

• (Trad)

  Oh, my name is Jock Stewart, I'm a canny gaun man,
  and a roving young fellow I've been.

  Chorus: Midi-Datei anhören
  So be easy and free, when you're drinking with me,
  I'm a man you don't meet every day.

  I'm a roving young blade, I'm a piper to trade
  And manys the tunes I can play.
  Chorus ---

  I have acres of land, I have men of command,
  And manys the shilling in store.
  Chorus ---

  I go out with my dog and my gun for to shoot,
  all along by the banks of the Tay.
  Chorus ---

  So come fill up your glass with brandy and wine.
  What ever it costs, I will pay.
  Chorus ---

  Repeat verse 1 + Chorus ---

Susannes Folksong-Notizen

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•   [1983:] Der Sänger Archie Fisher [...] führt das Lied auf eine alte irische Ballade zurück, die in der Gegend von Aberdeen zu einem Trinklied verkürzt worden ist. (Walton 143)

•   [1984:] "Jock Stewart" is a common name among Scottish travellers, and two of Jeannie Robertson 's grandparents were Stewarts. The river Clare [mentioned in Jeannie's version instead of the Spey] is in western Ireland, which lends weight to the theory that this was originally an Irish popular song. [...]
  Jock Stewart's generosity goes further than helping out with cash or buying drinks all round: it's a generosity of spirit, which will accept anyone regardless of class or condition. Belted earl or tramp, he is at home with either, and his self-respect includes the awareness that this is not a common attitude. Here is an essential ingredient of the traveller's outlook [...]. (Munro, Revival 57f)

•   [1992:] The song is an Irish narrative ballad that has been shortened to an Aberdeenshire drinking song. It is essentially Jeannie Robertson's version, slightly modified by Archie Fisher in the third verse so the dog doesn't get shot. It is alternatively claimed by the Singing Stewarts to have been written for Belle's father. - The fourth and fifth verses

  I'm a piper by trade	Let us catch well the hours
  And a roving young blade	And the minutes that fly
  And many a tune I do play	And we'll share them together this day

  are from the singing of Ian McGregor. (DC, UWP Archive, www.leo.org/)
  

• [1999:] Jock Stewart was found in the [Stewart] family's letterbox when they came back from shopping one day, an unsigned tribute (though surely to Alec Stewart's renowned piper father John, rather than, as the notes claims to Alec himself). (Bob Pegg, review Sheila Stewart, 'Time goes on ... and time goes on ...', Musical Traditions, add link - unknown )

• http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=28624

• http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Harding+B+20(69)&id=08664.gif&seq=1&size=0 (for a broadside version)