Aikey Fair
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1952.29.A3
Original Tape ID
Summary
Tam's friends ask him to go to Aikey Fair and he tells them he is going to sell the clip [colt] and the grey mare on Wednesday. They say they may not be around on Wednesday, so Tam changes his clothes, shaves and oils his hair. The road is busy and so is the fair, though it is Sunday. A minister's preaching is drowned out by an accordion. Tam describes the people and activities at the fair and expresses some feeling against the fair being on the Sabbath.
Jimmy MacBeath had the song from its composer, G. S. Morris of the Meldrum Arms.
Item Notes
Text and music transcribed in School of Scottish Studies. 6 verses. George Morris of the Meldrum Arms is generally credited as the
composer. There are several variants of the song extant and it is possible that Mr Morris reworked a traditional song.
Aikey Fair was a horse fair held on the first Wednesday after 19th July at Aikey Brae near Old Deer, with a fun fair on the previous
Sunday.
See:
'Tocher' 41 (1988) pp. 314-317
Item Location
County - Aberdeenshire
Parish - Old Deer
Village/Place - Aikey Brae
Language
Scots
Genre
Collection
Classification
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good