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Glaswegian and Scottish Dictionary :
Words and Translations into English.
Glaswegian or Scottish Word:
Doon-the-Watter
English Meaning :
The ancient Glaswegian custom of going to Classic Tourist Destinations on the River Clyde; Millport, Rothesay, and Dunoon for the 'fair' holidays.
At the fair thousands of workers and their families would head for these exotic resorts to eat fish and chips on the beach.
(Note: This was before pleasure and enjoyment were invented.) Example
/ Translation of example:
The Song of the Clyde - Author Unknown
I sing of a river I'm happy beside
The song that I sing is a song of the Clyde
Of all Scottish rivers it’s dearest to me
It flows from Leadhills all the way to the sea
It borders the orchards of Lanark so fair
Meanders through meadows with sheep grazing there
But from Glasgow to Greenock, in towns on each side
The hammers ding-dong is the song of the Clyde
Oh the river Clyde, the wonderful Clyde
The name of it thrills me and fills me with pride
And I'm satisfied whate'er may betide
The sweetest of songs is the song of the Clyde
Imagine we’ve left Craigendoran behind
And wind-happy yachts by Kilcreggan we find
At Kirn and Dunoon and Innellan we stay
Then Scotland’s Madeira that’s Rothesay, they say
Or maybe by Fairlie and Largs we will go
Or over to Millport that thrills people so
Mavbe joumey to Arran it can't be denied
Those scenes all belong to the song of the Clyde
When sun sets on dockland, there’s beauty to see
The cry of a seabird is music to me
The blast of a horn loudly echoes, and then
A stillness descends on the water again
Tis’ here that the sea-going liners are born
But, unlike the salmon, they seldom return
Can you wonder the Scots o’er the ocean so wide
Should constantly long for the song of the Clyde
Chorus
These verses below were added by Kenneth McKellar in his version of the song:
There's Paw an' Maw at Glasgow Broomielaw.
Goin' 'doon the water' for 'The Fair.'
There's Bob an' Mary, on the Govan Ferry,
Wishin' jet propulsion could be there.
There's steamers cruisin', and there's 'buddies' snoozin',
And there's laddies fishin' frae the pier;
An' Paw's perspirin', very near expirin',
As he rows a boat frae there to here.
With eyes a-flashin', it is voted 'smashin',
To be walkin' daily on the prom:
May and Evelyn are in seventh heaven
As thy stroll along with Dick and Tom;
And Dumbarton Rock to ev'ry Jean and Jock,
Extends a welcome that is high and wide:
Seems to know that they are on their homeward way
To hear the song of the Clyde.'
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