> Folk Music > Songs > Banks of the Clyde
Banks of the Clyde
[
Roud 1784
; Ballad Index LLab133
; Bodleian
Roud 1784
; Mudcat 83006
; trad.]
Fred Hamer: Garners Gay Alan Helsdon: Vaughan Williams in Norfolk Volume 2
Billy Rash of West Wratting, Cambridgeshire, sang Banks of the Clyde to Sam Steele in ca. 1959. This recording was included in 2005 on the Veteran CD of traditional folk songs, music hall songs and tunes collected by Sam Steele in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex 1959-1962, Heel & Toe.
Alf Wildman from Bedfordshire sang Banks of the Clyde to Fred Hamer on 22 September 1965. It was printed in Hamer’s 1971 EFDS book Garners Gay and was included in 1971 on the accompanying EFDSS album Garners Gay. Alf Widman also sang this song at the Kings Head Folk Club on 25 Feburary 1970. Rod Stradling noted in the booklet of this Musical Traditions anthology:
It seems odd that this song, which is simply A Young Sailor Cut Down (Roud 2), with a localising first verse, should have a separate Roud Number. And it’s surprisingly well-known, with 32 Index entries, mainly from England and Canada.
Geoff Ling from Blaxhall, Suffolk, sang On the Banks of the Clyde to Keith Summers on 16 November 1970 and in 1974-75. The latter recording was included in 1977 on the Ling Family’s Topic album Singing Traditions of a Suffolk Family.
George Belton sang The Lad in the Scots Brigade in a recording made by Vic Smith in BBC Radio Sussex studio on 4 November 1971. it was included in 2020 on his Musical Traditions anthology A True Furrow to Hold. Rod Stradling noted:
This song, which, in Alf Wildman’s versions is simply A Young Sailor Cut Down (Roud 2), with a localising first verse, is actually a separate one in its own right. And it’s surprisingly well-known, with 69 Index entries, mainly from England and Canada.
It was written by J.F. Mitchell in 1887.
Manny Aldous of Great Bricett, Suffolk, sang The Banks of the Clyde to John Howson in between 1985 and 1987. This recording was released in 1988 on the Veteran Tapes cassette of old songs and ballads, Songs Sung in Suffolk Vol. 3.
Viv Legg sang Banks of the Clyde on the 2006 Veteran CD Romany Roots. Mike Yates noted:
The Banks of the Clyde, with its mention of “the burning plains of Egypt”, probably dates to the period 1879-82, when a revolt against the ruling Khedive was put down by British intervention. At least one English broadside printer, Forth of Hull, printed the song and it also appeared in Delaney’s Song Book #1, which was printed in New York in 1892. Only a handful of English collectors have noted the song. Cambridgeshire singer Billy Rash can heard singing it on VT150CD Heel & Toe. There are also solitary sets from Illinois, Ontario, Labrador and Nova Scotia.
Niamh Boadle sang The Banks of the Clyde on her 2010 CD Wild Rose. She noted:
A rather complicated lovers’ reunion ballad, that I got from the inspirational singing of a fellow Niamh (Parsons).
Lyrics
Alf Wildman sings Banks of the Clyde
On the banks of the Clyde
stood a lad and lassie,
The lad’s name was Georgie,
the lass’s was Belle.
She flung her arms round him
and cried “Do not leave me,”
For Georgie was going
to fight for his queen.
Chorus (after each verse):
So we’ll beat the big drum
and we’ll play the pipe merrily.
We’ll play the dead march
as we carry him along.
We’ll take him to the churchyard
and fire three volleys o’er him,
He’s a bonny young soldier
cut down in his prime.
But some years later,
when I met young Georgie,
Dark was the night
and cold was the day.
He asked for a flannel
to bind his poor head with,
He was wropped in a blanket
and colder than clay.
His aged mother
his grey-haired old father
Oft times had told him
about his past life;
Never go courting
the flash girls of the city,
In the flash girls of the city
he took his delight.
Now on his tombstone
you will find it was written:
“All your jolly fellows
take warning from me,
And never go courting
the flash girls of the city,
For the flash girls of the city
were the ruin of me.”
George Belton sings The Lad in the Scots Brigade
On the banks of the Clyde stood a lad and a lassie,
The lad’s name was Geordie, the lass’s was Jean.
She threw her arms round him and cried “Do not leave me”,
For Geordie was going to fight for his Queen.
She gave him a lock of her bright auburn tresses,
He kissed her and pressed her once more to his heart,
‘Til his eyes spoke the words that his lips would not utter.
Together they weep, and they kiss, and they part.
Chorus (eafter each other verse):
Over the burning plains of Egypt,
Under the scorching sun,
He thought of the stories he’d have to tell
His love when the fight was won.
He treasured with care that dear lock of hair,
For his own darling Jeannie he prayed,
But his prayer was in vain
For she’ll ne’er see again
Her lad in the Scots brigade
Though an ocean divided the lad from the lassie
And Geordie was sent far away on the foam;
His roof was the sky, and his bed was the desert
His heart with his Jeannie was always at home.
On the morning that dawned on that vain day of battle
Found Geordie enacting a true hero’s part
‘Til an enemy’s bullet brought with it his …
And buried that that dear lock of hair in his heart.
On the banks of the Clyde stood a heart-broken mother,
They told her of how the great victory was won.
But the glory to England to her was no comfort,
The glory to her meant the loss of her son.
But Jeannie is with her to comfort and cheer her
Together they weep and together they pray
And Jeannie her daughter will be while she’s living
For the sake of the laddie that died far away.
Viv Legg sings The Banks of the Clyde
On the banks of the Clyde stood a lad and a lassie -
The lad’s name was Georgie, the lassie’s was Jean.
She threw her arms round him and cried, “Dear don’t leave me!”
For Georgie was going to fight for his Queen.
She gave him a lock of her bright golden tresses,
And he kissed her and pressed her once more to his heart.
Their eyes spoke of love their lips would not utter.
The last words were spoken, they’d kiss and they’d part.
Chorus (after each verse):
Over the burning plains of Eygpt,
Under the scorching sun,
He thought of the stories he’d have to tell,
His love when the fight was won.
He cherished with care that dear lock of hair,
And his own darling Jeannie she prayed.
But the prayers were in vain,
She’d never see again,
Her lad from the Scots brigade.
The ocean divided the lad from the lassie,
As Georgie was forced over the foam.
His roof was the sky, his bed was the desert,
But his heart with his Jeannie was always at home.
That morning at dawn on that famed day of battle,
Found Georgie partaking a true hero’s part—
When an enemy bullet flew straight to its billet,
And buried the dear lock of hair in his heart.
On the banks of the Clyde stands a heartbroken mother,
When they told her how brave that great victory was won.
That victory to her brings her no comfort,
That victory to her means the loss of her son.