Traditional Scottish Songs
- Weel May the Keel Row

Also known as "As I came thro' Sandgate" this is strictly speaking not a "Scottish song" and describes the coal-carrying "keel boat" on the river Tyne and Sandgate refers to a dockland area of Newcastle, it is often performed in Scotland by Scottish singers and appears in printed collections of Traditional Scottish Songs. Another connection with Scotland is that it was first published in Edinburgh in 1770.

Weel May the Keel Row

As I came thro' Sandgate,
Thro' Sandgate, thro' Sandgate
As I came thro' Sandgate,
I heard a lassie sing:

Chorus:

Weel may the keel row,
The keel row, the keel row
Weel may the keel row
That my laddie's in.

Chorus:

Oh, wha's like my Johnnie,
Sae leish, sae blithe, sae bonny?
He's foremost 'mang the
Mony keel lads o' coaly Tyne.

Chorus:

He'll set and row sae tightly,
Or in the dance sae sprightly
He'll cut and shuffle sightly
'tis true - were he not mine.

Chorus:

He wears a blue bonnet,
Blue bonnet, blue bonnet
He wears a blue bonnet,
A dimple in his chin

Chorus:

Meaning of unusual words:
leish=athletic

Return to the Index of Traditional Scottish Songs




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