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Macaphee Turn the Cattle

[ Roud 20741 ; Mudcat 45791 ; trad.]

Lizzie Higgins sang Macaphee Turn the Cattle at the Jeannie Robertson Memorial Concert in 1977. This live recording made by Peter Hall was included in 2006 on her Musical Traditions anthology In Memory of Lizzie Higgins. Rod Stradling noted:

This well-known pipe and fiddle tune Mrs MacLeod of Raasay a.k.a. Mac-a-Phì appears to have been often used for comical mouth music in both Gaelic and English. It is possible that Lizzie’s version, learned from her mother, evolves from a Gaelic original such as this 1908 one:

Dòmhnull Dubh Mac-a-Phì ceann Locha-mòire,
Dòmhnull Dubh Mac-a-Phì ceann Locha-mòire,
Dòmhnull Dubh Mac-a-Phì ceann Locha-mòire;
Ghoideadh e na gobhair ged bhiodh deubhainn air a dhòrnaibh.

Translation: Dòmhnall Dubh Mac-a-Phì of the head of Loch Mòr;
He would steal the goats even if there were shackles/fetters on his hands.

Lizzie Higgins also sang Macaphee in 1985 on her Lismor album What a Voice. The album’s booklet noted:

This charming piece of mouth music, which Lizzie sings with a pronounced lilt, is put to the well-known tune Mrs MacLeod of Raasay. The spellings here are only meant to approximate the sounds.

Janet Russell and Christine Kydd sang a medley of Jock Since Ever (from the singing of Gordeanna McCulloch), Macaphee (from the singing of Lizzie Higgins) and Ho Ho Bonny Lass (partly from Isobel Sutherland, partly from Jimmy MacBeath) in 1994 on their Greentrax album Dancin’ Chantin’.

Quinie sang Macaphee Turn the Cattle on her 2025 album Forefowk, Mind Me. She noted:

This pipe and fiddle tune Mrs MacLeod of Raasay a.k.a. Mac-a-Phi appears to have been used as comical mouth music in both Gaelie and English. This is based on Lizzie Higgins version, learned from her mother, which possibly evolved from a Gaelic original.

Lyrics

Lizzie Higgins sings Macaphee Turn the Cattle

Macaphee turn the cattle roon loch a forum.
Macaphee turn the cattle roon loch a forum.
Macaphee turn the cattle roon loch a forum.
Here and there and everywhere, the cows are in the corn.

A waiting at the shielin O mhairi ban machree.
Waiting at the shielin, O far away to sea.
Hame will come the bonny boats, mhairi ban machree.
Hame will come the bonny lads, hi ho and hee.

(repeat first verse)