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The Song of the Gillie More

[ Roud 21759 ; Ballad Index McSc143 ; DT GILMORE , GILLMORE ; Mudcat 158308 ; words Hamish Henderson, tune trad.]

Wilie Scott, Alison McMorland: Herd Laddie o’ the Glen

Hamish Henderson sang his own Song of the Gillie More in a 1956 recording at Spey Bay, Bellie, Moray that can be heard on Tobar an Dualchais [SA1956.039.3] which has this comment:

During the ‘Scottish-Soviet Friendship Week’ in 1951, Jimmy Jarvie, secretary of the Leith branch of the ‘Associated Blacksmiths’ Forge and Smithy Workers’ Society’ sent greetings from ‘The Blacksmiths of Leith to the Blacksmiths of Kiev’. Hamish Henderson went to meet Jarvie and was inspired to write The Song of the Gillie More. The aforementioned society published his song in 1953 as a song-sheet, and later as a hardback song-sheet in 1962 to commemorate the visit by the Kiev Trades Council to their Edinburgh counterpart in 1962.

Willie Scott sang Song of the Gille More at Blairgowrie Folk Festival in 1967. This recording by Hamish Henderson and Arthur Argo is printed in his book Herd Laddie o’ the Glen and can be heard on Tobar an Dualchais [SA1967.146.B2] too.

Dick Gaughan sang Gillie Mor in 1978 on his Topic album Gaughan. This track was also included with its full name The Song of the Gillie More in 2003 on Greentrax’s Hamish Henderson tribute album A’ the Bairns o Adam. A live performance on the BBC Radio 2 Folk 79 programme on 3 April 1979 was included on Gaughan’s 2025 anthology R/evolution 1969/83. He noted:

I have gone on record elsewhere as saying I consider Hamish Henderson as one of the greatest Scots poets and songwriters. This song was written by Hamish as a message of solidarity from the blacksmiths of Leith (my home) to the blacksmiths of Kiev in the Soviet Union, and was sent as such by them. Gillie Mor is Gaelic and means, literally, the big lad. The guitar tuning used here is DAAEAE and the tune Hamish wrote the song to is normally called Whistle Ower the Lave O’t.

Lyrics

Dick Gaughan sings Gillie Mor

O horo, the Gillie Mor, whit’s the ploy ye’re on sae early?
Braw news sae tell it fairly, O horo, the Gillie Mor
News o him yon muckle callant, whistlin at the smiddy door
Tak yer bow for here’s yer ballant! O horo, the Gillie Mor

O horo, the Gillie Mor, come awa an gie’s yer blether
Here’s a dram’ll droun the weather, O horo, the Gillie Mor
Sons o birk an pine an rowan, Jocks an Ivans by the score
Swappin yarns tae cowe the gowans, O horo, the Gillie Mor

O horo, the Gillie Mor, nou’s the time the haimmer’s ready
Haud the tangs, aye haud thaim steady, O horo, the Gillie Mor
Gar the iron ring a’bhallich, gar it ring frae shore tae shore
Leith tae Kiev, Don tae Gairloch, O horo, the Gillie Mor

O horo, the Gillie Mor, here’s a weld’ll wear forever
Our grip thae cannae sever, O horo, the Gillie Mor
Ane’s the wish yoke’s us thegither, ane’s the darg that lies afore
You an me, the man, the brither - me an you, the Gillie Mor