Silly Wizard Live - Donald McGillavry

Lyrics * as sung here* are at the end of this description. This was filmed in Atlanta, Georgia on April 1, 1988.

Donald McGillavry was a fictional character created by James Hogg. In a footnote to The London Literary Gazette's review dated November 11, 1820 of "The Jacobite Relics of Scotland" by James Hogg, where the song was first published, the Gazette stated: "Donald Macgillavry is here put for the Highland Clans generally." Gareth Davis wrote a comprehensive history of this song for Radio De Danann which can be found here: http://radiodedanann.blogspot.com/2010/04/story-be...

Silly Wizard members in this clip:

Andy M. Stewart: lead vocals, tenor banjo, whistle
Phil Cunningham: accordion, piano, synthesizers, whistle, cittern, vocals
John Cunningham: fiddle, vocals
Gordon Jones: guitar, bodhran, vocals
Martin Hadden: bass guitar, keyboards, guitar, vocals

Donald come up the hill hard and hungry,
Donalds come doon the hill wild and angry;
Donald will clear the gouk's nest cleverly, [gouk = cuckoo]
Here's to King James and to Donald McGillavry.
Come like a weigh-bauk, Donald McGillavry, [weigh-bauk = scales]
Come like a weigh-bauk, Donald McGillavry,
Balance them fair, and balance them cleverly:
Off wi' the counterfeit, Donald McGillavry.

Donald come o'er the hill but his tether, man,
As he were wud, or stang'd wi' an ether, man; [wud = mad][ stung by an adder]
When he comes back, there's some will look merrily:
Here's to King James and to Donald McGillavry.
Come like a weaver, Donald McGillavry,
Come like a weaver, Donald McGillavry,
Push about, and in and out, thimble them cleverly
Up wi King James and with Donald McGillavry

Donald has foughten wi' rief and roguery; [rief = banditry]
Donald has dinner'd wi banes and beggary, [banes = bones]
Better it were for Whigs and Whiggery
Meeting the devil than Donald McGillavry.
Come like a tailor, Donald McGillavry,
Come like a tailor, Donald McGillavry,
Push about, and in and out, thimble them cleverly,
Up wi King James and with Donald McGillavry.

Donald's the callan that brooks nae tangleness; [callan = fine fellow]
Whigging and prigging and a'newfangleness,
They maun be gane: he winna be baukit, man: [baukit = balked]
He will hae justice, or faith he'll tak it, man.
Come like a cobler, Donald McGillavry,
Come like a cobler, Donald McGillavry;
Beat them, and bore them, and lingel them cleverly, [lingel = shoemaker's thread]
Up wi' King James and wi' Donald McGillavry.

Donald was mumpit wi' mirds and mockery; [lulled with flattery]
Donald was blinded wi' blads o' property; [blads = lots]
Arles ran high, but makings were naething, man, [Arles = Thrashing]
Lord, how Donald hes flyting and fretting, man. [flyt = scold]
Come like the devil, Donald McGillavry,
Come like the devil, Donald McGillavry; [skelp = chastise]
Skelp them and scaud them that proved sae unbritherly, [scaud = scold]
Up wi' King James and wi' Donald McGillavry!