View source for Canny Shepherd Laddie O the Hills (Anon)

There's songs aboot oor soldiers and oor sailors by the score,<br>
Of tinkers and of tailors and of others there's galore;<br>
But I'll sing ye a song that you've never heard before,<br>
It's the canny shepherd laddie o' the hills.

Chorus
 
Oh the shepherds o the Coquet, the Alwin and the Rede,<br>
The Bowment and the Breamish, they're all the same breed,<br>
Wi their collie dog beside them and a stick with horn heid<br>
It's the canny shepherd laddie o' the hills.
 
Chorus

They climb oot ower the mountain ere it's turned the break o' day,<br>
Through the bent and moss hags and round bogs they wend their way,<br>
Quick tae see a mawkit yin or a sheep that's strayed away,<br>
It's the canny shepherd laddie o' the hills.
 
Chorus
 
They send the collie around the sheep with a yell o "Gan oot wide"<br>
Then whistle with the notes so shrill the dog drops in his stride<br>
"Come by Moss! Doon a bit I'll tak my stick oot ower yer hide"<br>
It's the canny shepherd laddie o' the hills.
 
Chorus
 
If the lambing time is stormy he will curse and he will swear<br>
There's a yowe that's lost its lamb and I've skinned an auld yowe there,<br>
Some o them have ta'en the sickness, nae mair trouble can I bear<br>
It's the canny shepherd laddie o' the hills.
 
Chorus
 
In the back-end tae the marts he'll gang if the prices they are dear<br>
To celebrate he'll treat his pals tae whisky and tae beer,<br>
But if the prices they are bad, it taks a dram tae cheer<br>
The canny shepherd laddie o' the hills.<br>
 
Chorus
 
In the winter when its stormy and drifts are piling high<br>
He'll never flinch tae tak the risk that in the snow he may die<br>
His first care is his sheep are settled and sheltered safe may lie<br>
The canny shepherd laddie o' the hills.
 
Chorus
 
At Alwinton they may turn oot tae see the Shepherds' Show<br>
Then into Foreman's for a drink they with their cronies go,<br>
They'll argue and they'll sing and shout, but fecht, well bless me no<br>
The canny shepherd laddie o' the hills.
 
Chorus
 
Now if ye've gaun among them as A've done for forty years<br>
Nae kinder hearted folk you'll meet if you look far or near<br>
The kettl'e set a boiling and they cry "Sit you doon here"<br>
The canny shepherd laddie o' the hills.
 
Chorus
 
A've said nae words aboot their wives A'm shair there is no need<br>
But in every house I've been tae yet they seem tae be the heid,<br>
And I'm sure you'll all agree with me, it taks a hell of a good wife to breed<br>
A canny shepherd laddie o' the hills.
[[Category:Songs and Poems]]