DONALD MACGILLAVRY

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Karla's notes: When I first met Ian, he was surprised at how much I knew about Scottish folk music, Kansas native that I was! All that I knew up until that point I learned from listening to our local public radio station, Kanu, and their wonderful Sunday afternoon shows likeTrail Mix. I was actually able to stump him with this song(-score one for the prairie girl)...he had never heard it before, but I had it on an a Silly Wizard recording, "Live Wizardry", that I first heard on the show. I guess he liked it well enough, he included it in his folk list after somehow managing to locate the lyrics for it:-)

Donald MacGillavry


Donald's gane up the hill hard and hungry,
Donald comes down the hill wild and angry;
Donald will clear the gouk's nest cleverly,
Here's to the king and Donald MacGillavry.
Come like a weighbauk, Donald MacGillavry,
Come like a weighbauk, Donald MacGillavry,
Balance them fair, and balance them cleverly,
Out with the counterfeit, Donald MacGillavry.

Donald's run o'er the hill but his tether, man,
As he were wud, or stang'd wi' an ether, man;
When he comes back, some will look merrily,
Here's to King James and Donald MacGillavry.
Come like a weaver, Donald MacGillavry,
Come like a weaver, Donald macGillavry,
Pack on your back, and elwand saw cleverly,
Gie them full measure, my Donald MacGillavry.


Donald has foughten wi' rief and roguery;
Donald has dinner'd wi' banes and beggary,
Better it were for Whigs and Whiggery
Meeting the devil than Donald MacGillavry.
Come like a tailor, Donald MacGillavry
Come like a tailor, DOnald MacGillavry,
Push about, in and out, thimble them cleverly,
Here's to King James and Donald MacGillavry.


Donald's the callan that brooks nae tangleness,
Whigging and prigging and a' newfangleness,
They maun be gaun, he winna baukit, man:
He maun hae justice, of faith he'll tak it man.
Come like a cobbler, Donald MacGillavry,
Come like a cobbler, Donald MacGillavry,
Beat them and bore them and lingel them cleverly,
Up wi' King James and Donald MacGillavry.


Donald was mumpit wi' wirds and mockery,
Donald was blinded wi' blads o' property,
Arles ran high, but makings were naething man,
Lord, how Donald is flying and fretting, man.
Come like the devil, Donald MacGillavry,
Come like the deveil, Donald MacGillavry,
Skelp them and scaud them that proved sae unbritherly,
Up wi' King James and Donald MacGillavry.

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Music; traditional. Content copyright © 2000 held by the author; Ian Hall.