The Parish of Dunkeld
The Parish of Dunkeld
Traditional
Several verses: MP3 (450K)
Get the full song at MP3.com page
The Parish of Dunkeld is performed by and Silly Wizard
Notes: Andy writes about this song: Supposedly a true story ,but possibly
occurring at Kinkel in
Perthshire rather than in Dunkel' (we often drop the d ). Finding the regime
under the Church and it's
"fire and brimstone" minister far too rigid and strict for their tastes, the
fun-loving inhabitants of this little
Perthshire village got together one day--and hung him! They silenced the
church bell and installed a large whisky-still in the church. Thus fortified
and with McDonald their piper blasting away from the pulpit, their Sundays
were transformed into a series of tremendous Ceilidhs. I set the words to
the old Jacobite air
"Over the water to Charlie".
You can find music and chords for this song in Andy M. Stewart Collection
Songbook.
Oh, what a parish, a terrible parish;
Oh, what a parish is that o' Dunkeld.
They hangit their minister, droon'd their precentor,
Dang doun the steeple and fuddled the bell.
The steeple was doun but the kirk was still staunin',
They biggit a lum whaur the bell used to hang.
A stell-pat they gat and they brewed Hielan' whisky;
On Sundays they drank it and ranted and sang.
O, had you but seen how graceful it lookit,
To see the crammed pews sae socially joined.
MacDonald the piper stood up in the poopit,
He made the pipes skirl out the music divine.
Wi' whiskey and beer they'd curse and they'd swear;
They'd argue and fecht what ye daurna weel tell.
Bout Geordie and Charlie they bothered fu' rarely
Wi' whisky they're worse than the devil himsel'.
When the hairt-cheerin' spirit had mounted their garret,
Tae a ball on the green they a' did adjourn.
The maids wi' coats kilted, they skippit and liltit,
When tired they shook hands and then hame did return.
If the kirks a' owre Scotland held like social meetin's
Nae warnin' ye'd need from a far-tinklin' bell,
For true love and friends wad draw ye thegither
Far better than roarin' the horrors o' hell.