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Donald MacGillavry

from A Celebration of Twenty by IONA

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Donald MacGillavry/Paddy’s Leather Britches
Scottish

Back to the Jacobite rebellion and another satire, this one of one Donald MacGillavry, the symbol for the Scottish lairds who sold out to the English. Bob follows with a piping version of the song on the great pipes, then segués into the reel, Paddy's Leather Britches, arranged for him by his brother, another great piper, Burt Mitchell. According to Bob, the aforementioned leather britches were once worn by excise men to test the strength of whisky: if they stuck to the liquor, poured on a bench, the whisky was strong enough--the britches, no doubt, reminiscent of the piper's bag who penned this ode!

lyrics

Donald MacGillavry

Donald's gane up the hill, hard and hungry,
Donald's gane doon the hill, wild and angry,
Donald will clear the gauk's nest cleverly,
Here's tae the king an' tae Donald MacGillavry.

Come like a weighbauk, Donald MacGillavry,
Come like a weighbauk, Donald MacGillavry,
Balance them fair, and balance them cleverly,
Off wi' the counterfeit, Donald MacGillavry.

Donald's ran o'er the hill, but his tether, man,
As he were wud, or stang'd wi' an adder, man,
When he's come back, there's mony'll look merrily,
Here's tae King James an' tae Donald MacGillavry.

Come like a weaver, Donald MacGillavry,
Come like a weaver, Donald MacGillavry,
Pack on your back, an' elwand sae cleverly,
Here's tae the king an' tae Donald MacGillavry.

Donald has foughten wi' rief an' roguery,
Donald has dinner'd wi' banes an' beggary,
Better it were for Whigs an' Whiggery,
Meetin' the de'il than Donald MacGillavry.

Come like a tailor, Donald MacGillavry,
Come like a tailor, Donald MacGillavry,
Push aboot, in an' oot, an' thimble them cleverly,
Here's tae King James an' tae Donald MacGillavry.

Donald's the callan that brooks nae tangleness,
Whiggin' an' priggin' an' a' newfangleness,
They maun be gane, he winna' be baukit, man,
He maun ha'e justice or faith, he'll take it man!

Come like a cobbler, Donald MacGillavry,
Come like a cobbler, Donald MacGillavry,
Beat them an' bore them an' lingel them cleverly,
Up wi' King James an' wi' Donald MacGillavry.

Donald was mumpit wi' mirds o' mockery,
Donald was blinded wi' blads o' property,
Arles ran high, but makins were naething, man,
Lord, how Donald is flytin' an' frettin', man'

Come like the de'il, Donald MacGillavry,
Come like the de'il, Donald MacGillavry,
Skelp them an' scaud them that proved sae unbritherly,
Up wi' King James an' wi' Donald MacGillavry!

credits

from A Celebration of Twenty, released May 15, 2006
Barbara Argent (lead vocals, bodhrán)
Bernard Argent (guitar, vocals, doumbek)
Bob Argent (Highland pipes)
Nick Smiley (bouzouki, vocals)

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IONA Washington, D.C.

IONA has been taking its unique brand of traditional Celtic music to festivals, arts centers, schools & house concerts all over North America and Europe since 1986, blending music from the various Celtic traditions with stories and a little humor - Barbara Ryan (vocals, bouzouki, bodhran), Bernard Argent (flute, doumbek), Chuck Lawhorn (bass), Jim Queen (fiddle, banjo) & Kathleen Larrick (dance). ... more

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