> Louis Killen > Songs > When Fortune Turns the Wheel

When Fortune Turns the Wheel

[ Roud 3798 ; G/D 3:667 ; Ballad Index Ord180 ; DT FORTRWH2 ; trad.]

When Fortune Turns the Wheel is a song often printed as a broadside and whose popularity may also have been helped by its inclusion in John Ord’s Bothy Songs and Ballads (1930).

The High Level Ranters sang Fortune Turns the Wheel on their 1976 Topic album Ranting Lads. They noted:

A Scottish drinking song learnt from the singing of Louis Killen, who collected it from Alan Rogerson, in 1959. Alan is a shepherd who lives in the Wooler area of Northumberland. The song appears in print in Gavin Greig’s Scottish collection, Folk-Song of the North-East (1907-11, reprinted 1963).

Louis Killen recorded When Fortune Turns the Wheel in winter 1977 at the Eldron Fennig Folk Museum of American Ephemera for his album Old Songs, Old Friends. He also sang it live at the Fife Traditional Singing Festival, Collessie, Fife in May 2005. This recording was included in 2006 on the festival’s CD For Friendship and for Harmony (Old Songs & Bothy Ballads Vol. 2). And he sang it at the Bridge Folk Club’s fiftieth birthday party; the party’s recording was released in 2008 on the club‘s CD 50 Years of Folk Music in Newcastle. Louis Killen noted on the first album:

… And it was with Brian [Ballinger], and his 50-60 lb “portable” tape recorder (well, it could be carried—in a bus!) that I collected from Alan Rogerson, of Common Burn farm, near Wooler, Northumberland, a song with which I’ve had a love affair since 1958—When Fortune Turns the Wheel.

Bill Price sang Fortune’s Wheel in 1978 on his Autogram album I Sing As I Please. He noted:

A Scottish exile ballad learned from Louis Killen some years ago.

Ray Fisher sang When Fortune Turns the Wheel in 1982 on her Folk-Legacy album Willie’s Lady. She noted:

I first heard Louis Killen, of Gateshead, Co. Durham, sing this song. His version had come from Alan Rogerson of Northumberland and had a “south of the border” flavour. I subsequently gleaned the Scottish text from Greig’s Folk-Song of the North-East which was remarkably similar in tune and content, but varied only in local references, i.e. place names etc. This is one of the great parting songs.

Harry Boardman sang Fortune Turns the Wheel on his 1985 cassette Personal Selection.

Duncan Williamson sang Fortune Turns the Wheel to Mike Yates at Ladybank, Fife on 13 August 2001. This recording was published in 2002 on the Kyloe anthology Travellers’ Tales Volume 2. Mike Yates notes:

This appears to be an amalgam of at least two songs. Both Ord and Greig collected versions of a similarly titled song, When Fortune Turns Her Wheel (Ord, Bothy Songs and Ballads, 1930, pp.180.81), but only one of the song’s seven stanzas is related to the song that Duncan sings:

Its mony the time my heart’s been sair and like to brak in twa;
Mony’s the time my feet’s been cauld, comin’ in frae the frost and snaw;
Wi’ nae ane to pity me, nor yet to wish me weel,
But maybe I’ll repay them back When Fortune turns her wheel.

Aaron Jones sang When Fortune Turns Her Wheel in 2005 on his and Claire Mann’s CD Secret Orders. This track was also included in 2010 on the World Music Network anthology The Rough Guide to Scottish Folk. They noted on their album:

We learned the words and melody from a young Borders fiddler/singer, Lori Watson. An old Border ballad attributed to shepherd Willie Scott, we loved the simplicity and sentiment of this song.

Jon Boden sang Fortune Turns the Wheel as the final, 23 June 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

Jackie Oates learned When Fortune Turns the Wheel from Louis Killen and recorded it in 2011 for her album Saturnine. She sang it at Dave and Gill Lowry’s 40^th Wedding Anniversary Party at Clyst St Mary Village Hall on 12 June 2010:

Sarah Hayes sang When Fortune Turns the Wheel on her 2015 album Woven.

Niamh Parsons sang When Fortune Turns Her Wheel on her and Graham Dunne’s 2015 album Kind Providence. She noted:

Learnt from Aaron Jones, this Scottish song comes from the singing of Willie Scott (1897-1989), a border shepherd and carrier of songs. Alison McMorland has published a wonderful book on Scott called Herd Laddie o’ the Glen—Songs of a Border Shepherd. I changed the place names to reflect my own area.

John Roberts and Debra Cowan sang When Fortune Turns the Wheel in 2015 on their CD Ballads Long & Short. They noted:

When Fortune Turns the Wheel was a signature song of the late Louis/Louisa Jo Killen, who learned it from Alan Rogerson in the Cheviot Hills of Northumberland in the late 1950s. We sing it in memory of Louisa, with whom we shared many years of friendship, individually and collectively.

The Brothers Gillespie sang When Fortune Turns the Wheel in a 2021 video about Hadrian’s Wall in North England. This is part of a video series Songs of England which explores traditional songs and their connections to historic places. It was commissioned by English Heritage and the Nest Collective.

Gigspanner Big Band sang Fortune Turns the Wheel on their 2025 album Turnstone.

Lyrics

Louis Killen sings When Fortune Turns the Wheel

Come fill the cup, let’s drink about, this nicht we’ll merry be,
For friendship and for harmony, likewise my comrades three;
Tae meet yence mair some other nicht my secret joy reveal,
For I now mun stray so far away til fortune turns the wheel.

Nae love, nor gold, nor dress I’ll take my estimate of man,
But when I meet a friend in need to stretch a helping hand;
To him I’ll drink, for him I’ll fecht, to him my mind reveal,
And friends we’ll be, whatever way blind fortune turns the wheel.

But it’s some of my pretended friends, if friends ye may them call,
They falsely turned their back on me when mine was at the wall;
Yet in a glass I’ll drink their health—ye’ll ken I wish them well
That someday I may pay the debt when fortune turns the wheel.

And it’s of a lovely lassie, aye, it’s her I’ll justly blame,
When dark misfortune frowned on me she denied she knew my name;
But friendship by remorse is past—to her I’ll never kneel,
I’ll sweethearts find, both true and kind, when fortune turns the wheel.

O ye dewy hills o’ Caledon, likewise sweet Coquetdale,
Whaur friendship binds the firmest ties and love tells the sweetest tale;
Here’s to my friends and to my foes, ye’ll ken I wish them weel,
That we all may meet some other nicht when fortune turns the wheel.

Ray Fisher sings When Fortune Turns the Wheel

Come fill your glass, let’s drink aboot, for this nicht we’ll merry be,
Good liquor and good company, likewise my comrades three;
For tae see ye a’ again, dear freends, a secret joy I feel,
Though I must stray, soon far away, when fortune turns the wheel.

It’s not from goud or costly claithes I take my estimate of man.
But when I meet a friend in need, I’ll stretch oot a helping hand;
And wi’ him I’ll drink, for him I’ll fecht, tae him my mind reveal,
And freends we’ll be, whatever way blind fortune turns the wheel.

Now, some of my pretended friends, if friends I can them call,
Proved false and turned their backs on me when mine was at the wall.
Well, in a glass, I’ll let it pass, ye ken I’ll wish them weel,
But someday I’ll return the debt when fortune turns the wheel.

O, it was of a bonnie laddie, it’s him I’ll justly blame,
When sad misfortune on me frowned he denied he ken’t my name;
Now sorrow and remorse they are past, tao him I’ll never kneel,
And I’ll sweethearts find, baith true and kind, when fortune turns the wheel.

Ye dewy hills o’ Caledonia, likewise sweet Liddesdale,
Whaur friendship bides, wi’ foremost ties, and love tells the fondest tale;
O, it’s noo that I maun rise tae go, kind freends, I wish ye weel,
That we’ll a’ meet some ither nicht, when fortune turns the wheel.

Aaron Jones sings When Fortune Turns Her Wheel

Come fill a glass let’s drink a toast this night we’ll merry be
Here’s to harmony and friendship free likewise my comrades three
To meet you all once more my friends a sacred joy I feel
Though far away I now must stray till fortune turns her wheel

It’s not vain clothes or gold you know that’s the estimate of man
For when we meet a friend in straits we shake a friendly hand
With them I’ll sit with them I’ll drink to them my mind reveal
And friends we’ll stay whatever way blind fortune turns her wheel

But O I loved a bonny girl and it’s her I’ll justly blame
For when hard fortune on me frowned she denied she knew my name
But falsehood by remorse is paid to her I’ll never kneel
I’ll sweethearts find both fair and kind when fortune turns her wheel

Some of my pretended friends if friends I may them call
Proved false and turned their backs on me when mine was at the wall
But in a glass I’ll let it pass I’m sure I wish them well
If my hearts fate on them await may fortune turn her wheel

Adieu to you my Eildon Hills likewise sweet Edendale
For friendship binds the strongest ties love tells the softest tale
Adieu to you my comrades here I know you wish me well
And maybe yet I’ll pay my debt when fortune turns her wheel

Sarah Hayes sings When Fortune Turns the Wheel

Nae love, nor gold, nor dress I’ll take my estimate of man
But when I meet a friend in need to stretch a helping hand
To her I’ll drink, for her I’ll fetch, to her my mind reveal
And friends shall be whatever way blind Fortune turns the wheel

O you hills of Caledon, likewise sweet Coquetdale
Where friendship binds the firmest ties, love tells the sweetest tale
Here’s to my friends and to my foes, you’ll ken I wish them weel
And we may meet some other night, when Fortune turns the wheel