Fragile Thing
I got reminded about Stuart Adamson the other day. I wonder what he'd be writing/singing now. Such a sad loss to Scottish song writing.
And I've been catching up on Scotland's music, and the Jute Mill Song, written by a worker, Mary Brocklebank. Listen to it sung by Sheila Wellington here
My great grandmother worked in a Fife jute mill, she got the telegram to tell her her son had been killed in WW1 while at work at the mill. She couldn't read it, my grandfather, who was home on leave from the war, had to read it for her.
These are two brilliant lines from the song:
Oh dear me, the warld is ill divided
Them that works the hardest are the least provided
they are still a manifesto for the poor the world over.
I think Scotland punches well above its weight in terms of the quality of our song writing.
These are the full lyrics to the Jute Mill Song
Jute Mill Song
(Mary Brooksbank)
Oh dear me, the mill's gannin' fast
The puir wee shifters canna get a rest
Shiftin' bobbins coorse and fine
They fairly mak' ye work for your ten and nine
Oh dear me, I wish the day was done
Rinnin' up and doon the Pass it is nae fun
Shiftin', piecin', spinnin' warp weft and twine
Tae feed and clad my bairnie affen ten and nine
Oh dear me, the warld is ill divided
Them that works the hardest are the least provided
I maun bide contented, dark days or fine
For there's nae much pleasure livin' affen ten and nine
Repeat 1
(as sung by Cilla Fisher & Artie Trezise)
And this is Fragile Thing, a great Big Country/Stuart Adamason song, which features Eddi Reader.
And I've been catching up on Scotland's music, and the Jute Mill Song, written by a worker, Mary Brocklebank. Listen to it sung by Sheila Wellington here
My great grandmother worked in a Fife jute mill, she got the telegram to tell her her son had been killed in WW1 while at work at the mill. She couldn't read it, my grandfather, who was home on leave from the war, had to read it for her.
These are two brilliant lines from the song:
Oh dear me, the warld is ill divided
Them that works the hardest are the least provided
they are still a manifesto for the poor the world over.
I think Scotland punches well above its weight in terms of the quality of our song writing.
These are the full lyrics to the Jute Mill Song
Jute Mill Song
(Mary Brooksbank)
Oh dear me, the mill's gannin' fast
The puir wee shifters canna get a rest
Shiftin' bobbins coorse and fine
They fairly mak' ye work for your ten and nine
Oh dear me, I wish the day was done
Rinnin' up and doon the Pass it is nae fun
Shiftin', piecin', spinnin' warp weft and twine
Tae feed and clad my bairnie affen ten and nine
Oh dear me, the warld is ill divided
Them that works the hardest are the least provided
I maun bide contented, dark days or fine
For there's nae much pleasure livin' affen ten and nine
Repeat 1
(as sung by Cilla Fisher & Artie Trezise)
And this is Fragile Thing, a great Big Country/Stuart Adamason song, which features Eddi Reader.
posted by apprentice at
4:10 pm
5 Comments:
I love Eddi Reader. And these lyrics on the jute Mill song are wonderful. It's good to be reminded of the stoicism of our ancestors.
I couldn't get the Phil Cunningham thing to play though.
Just hit refresh and it should work
I love reading Scottish as she is spoke ... delicious! :-)
Scots, with their history of constraints and hardships, know how to put life into words; there is a restraint there and a sadness that pull at the heartstrings. 'Flower of Scotland' does it to me every time.
Your poor great-grandma. I can't imagine anything worse.
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