Glen Collection of printed music > Printed music > Wood's edition of the songs of Scotland

34
THE SONGS OF SCOTLAND.
ALASTAIK MACALASTAIR.
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con si'inno.
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Oh, A - las - tair Mac - A - las - tair, Your chan - ter sets us a'
feS
a - steer, Get
out your pipes,
'V •
blaw
\vi' birr, We'll dance the High - land fljng.
Now
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A - las - tair has tuned his pipes, An'
thrang as bum - bees frae their bikes, 1 The
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m
ther
lads
lass
es loup 2 the dykes, An'
the green.
Oh,
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A - las - tair Mae - A - las - tair, Your chan - ter sets us
a - steer, Then
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ft
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to your bags, an' blaw wi' birr, We'll dance the High - land fling.
The succeeding verses begin at the sign '$: — those within brackets may be omitted.
The miller Hab was fidgin' fain
To dance the Highland fling his lane ;
He lap an' danced wi' might an' main,
The like was never seen.
Oh, Alastair, &e.
As round about the ring lie whuds, 3
An' cracks his thumbs, an' shakes his duds, 4
The meal flew frae his tail in oluds,
An' blinded a' their een.
Oh, Alastair, &c.
[Neist rauchle-handed 5 smidtly Jock,
A' blacken'd o'er wi' coom an' smoke,
Wi' shauchlin'" blear-e'ed Bess did yoke,
That harum-scarum quean.
Oh, Alastair, &c]
[He shook his doublet in the wind,
His feet like hammers strak the grund ;
The very moudieworts 7 were stunn'd,
Nor kenn'd what it could mean.
Oh, Alastair, &c]
Now wanton Willie was na blate, 8
For he got haud o' winsome Kate,
" Come here," quo' he, " I'll show the gate
To dance the Highland fling."
Oh, Alastair, &c.
Now Alastair has done his best :
An' weary stumps are wantin' rest,
Forbye wi' drouth they're sair distress'd,
Wi' dancin' sae, I ween.
Oh, Alastair, &c.
[I trow the gantrees 9 gat a lift;
An' round the bicker flew like drift ;
An' Alastair that very nicht,
Could scarcely stand his lane.
Oh, Alastair, &c]
1 Bees from their hives
c Shambling.
2 Leap.
7 Moles.
3 Bounds.
« Bashful.
4 Ragged clothes. 5 Strong-handed.
The trestle upon which barrels are placed.
" Alastair MacAlastair." The author of this lively song has not been discovered. The air is a dance-tune, bearing
considerable resemblance to "Mrs. Wemyss of Cuttlehill's Strathspey," composed by Nathaniel Gow, and also to the
" Marquis of Huntly's Strathspey," a tune said to have been composed by Mr. Marshall, butler to the Duke of Gordon.