The Dying Ploughboy
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1960.142.A4
Original Tape ID
Summary
In this song, a ploughboy is lying on his deathbed. Only a week before, he was as strong and healthy as any of his fellow workers, but then a blood vessel in his heart burst, and he knew he was going to die. He bids farewell to his horses and his plough, saying he has served his master well. He will now approach the pearly gates of Heaven.
Item Notes
8 verses of 4 lines. Composed by Robert Hogg Calder (1850-1930), originally of Durris, Kincardineshire. 'The Deein' Plooman' was originally published in a newspaper in 1882, and later in Calder's work 'Lilts o the Lea-Rig' (Brechin, 1900) and again in his 'The Dying Ploughboy and Other Verses' (Aberdeen, 1918). Calder became minister in Glenlivet in 1883; the details of his life and works can be found in 'Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ' vol. 6 (Edinburgh, 1926, p. 342).
See also:
Greig-Duncan vol. 3, pp. 602-603, no. 700
'Come Gie's a Sang' (S. Douglas, 1995) p. 80
'Bothy Songs & Ballads' (J. Ord, 1930) p. 235
'Lilts o the Lea-Rig' (R. H. Calder, 1900) pp. 37-38
'Kerr's Cornkisters' (W. Kemp & J. S. Kerr, 1950) pp. 57-59
'Scottish Life and Society' 10 (I. Olson, 'Bothy Ballads and Song', 2006) p. 354
'Folk-Song of the North-East' (G. Greig, K. Goldstein, A. Argo, 1963 reprint) art. XXVI
'Travellers' Songs from England and Scotland' (E. MacColl & P. Seeger, 1977) pp. 318-319
Language
Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Fair