T’was tae Edinburgh toon frae the heilands that I came
To prosper in business Calum Ross was my name
In a fine house in the Canongate I took myself a room
midst the titled and the gentry of Edinburgh Toon
With a letter of introduction and small amount of gold
It was my about to make my mark I was young and I was bold
I flattered the lady’s and I made fun with the gents
soon my presence was requested to all the fine events
But I tired o’ the gentry being a lad o’ the land
the dining and the wining it all became so bland
I started roving out to the Cowgate and West Port
Bad behaviour and bad company I started to court
Down in the howff’s there was music there was fun
And I soon became acquainted with the ale and the rum
Midst the frolicking and gambling by fate or just by chance
It was there that we met “how we laughed how we danced”
Chorus’
She riled me she beguiled me she robbed me of my sense
She teased me she pleased me I had no defence
I was lost like a fool I didn’t even care
O that wild gypsy child with the long raven hair
I knew from the first she’d be the ruin of me
Her form was firm and perfect her hair was wild and free
As I lay down beside her night after night
She drank of my spirit and she took all my fight
Being weakened by the drink being drained of my soul
I was lost in a half world I was out of control
And the money that I squandering was not of my own
It belonged to the Laird it was only a loan
To Mary Kings close for rooming we upped and we went
Fleeing my fine lodgings for fear of the rent
She taught me all the sleekit ways of show to steal a purse
On the day that I met the girl I was surly cursed
So the thieving an the robbing it soon became our way
We were out about our evil work by night and every day
But we would gamble our spoil if not we’d drink it dry
As we became more desperate as each day went by
Chorus
So down by the west bow on a dreich wintry night
Was there a drunken merchant came into our sight
We would rob him of his money and things we could exchange
In that moment of madness my life would be changed
Well I hit him to hard that’s easy now to tell
For he staggered fell and died by the old bow well
She snatched his money bag and took off like a Hare
I was wrestled to the Ground and taken then and there
Now I’m rotting away in the old tollbooth cell
In the vile dark and damp with rats straight from hell
Being fed on nothing more than water and some bread
Found guilty of murder I’ll be hung until I’m dead
In my dreams every night I still see her smile
O’ god save the man who meets that devil’s own child
I wish I had stayed amongst the heather and the broom
Far far away from old Edinburgh toon
I wouldn’t be surprised if Dave played that song in some kind of tuning from the looks of it.
All the best,
Uwe
Any chance of the chords? I love this song
Hi Kevin, it’s in F. I’m playing in Dadgad Capo third fret. (Normal tuning 5th fret . C,F,G.