Banks of Sicily
(Hamish Henderson)

The pipie is dozie, the pipie is fey
He wullnae come round for his vino the day
The sky o'er Messina is unco an' grey
An' a' the bricht chaulmers are eerie

Fareweel ye banks o' Sicily
Fare ye weel ye valley an' shaw
There's nae Jock will mourn the kyles o' ye
Puir bliddy swaddies are weary

Then doon the stair and line the waterside
Wait your turn the ferry's awa'
The doon the stair and line the waterside
A' the bricht chaulmers are eerie

Fareweel ye banks o' Sicily
Fare ye weel ye valley an' shaw
There's nae name can smoor the wiles o' ye
Puir bliddy swaddies are weary

The drummie is polisht, the drummie is braw
He cannae be seen for his webbin' ava
He's beezed himsel' up for a photy an' a'
Tae leave with his Lola, his dearie

Then fare weel ye dives o' Sicily
Fare ye weel ye shielin' an' ha'
We'll a mind shebeens an' bothies
Whaur Jock made a date wi' his dearie

Then fare weel ye dives o' Sicily
Fare ye weel ye shielin' an' ha'
We'll a mind shebeens an' bothies
Whaur kind signorinas were cheerie

Then tune the pipes and drub the tenor drum
Leave your kit this side o' the wa'
Then tune the pipes and drub the tenor drum
A' the bricht chaulmers are eerie

Recorded (somewhat translated) by Kingston Trio; also MacColl, I
think
Copyright Hamish Henderson
tune, Fareweel Tae the Creeks, by Pipe Major James Robertson of Banff
RG