Tied up at Heys

Tied up at Heys - from CD Lang Lippened; sung by Eddie Barclay

Lang Lippened CD artwork

The song that Eddie sings here was written by his father W.W. Barclay.  The chorus is intended to evoke the sound of the boat's engine.  This is one of 14 Shetland dialect songs on Eddie's best-selling CD Lang Lippened on Bleatbeat Records YOW2.

 

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Whin you're feelin oot o sorts, hed a hard time winnin nort,
You'd tink you'll hae a nicht in port, whin you tie up at Heys in da moarnin.
Bit Beattie phoned da docks at nine, tae see if dey'd wirk overtime,
Sae dey could sail da Columbine, licht fur da Tyne in da moarnin.

Da dockers dey did hum an hey, some said "No" but da maest said "Yea -
We'll wirk aa nicht, git twa days pey, an draw wir dole in da moarnin."
So da shivels clang an winches reel; tubs go "Bang" an da trucks dey wheel,
Da quay 'langside's laek a battlefield, whin you tie up at Heys in da moarnin.

Brum, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle,
Brum, rattle, rattle, rattle, reel.
Brum, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle,
Brum, rattle, rattle, lightship reel.

O Eunson he said tae his men, "Git your toi an come back agaen.
We'll hoi her oot be half-past taen, an awa ower da Isle in da moarnin."
Da crew aboard could git nae rest, so dey raise an got dem dressed,
Med fur da Queen's;  dey'll be a pest, whin dey hae tae sail in da moarnin.
Da mate's geen up tae seek da crew;  dey aa cam doon at half-past two,
But left at five, tae git right foo,  fur dey hed ta sail in da moarnin.

Chorus ...

"So lit go eft an gie a blaw; hadd her oot by Mitchell's Baa,
An sooth da soond, awaa, awaa, awaa ower da Isle in da moarnin."
At half-past two da skipper spak, "Dir's noucht ta du bit tae geen back,
Whin da wast tide runs, we'll  roond da Stack an we'll aa win tae Heys in da moarnin.
So watch your chance, an git her awaa.  He'll laekly be a day o snaa -
Hit's ey da sam aroond Up Helly Aa, tied up at Heys in da moarnin."

Chorus ...

"O keep her gyaan, we're doin fine;  auld Andrew's dere tae tak da line.
We'll hae a sleep til Openin Time, tied up at Heys in da moarnin."
At breakfast time we hed a look - sooth sooth aest, an a braw good sook.
"I takk we're here fur da rest o da ook, tied up at Heys in da moarnin.
Da nicht dir's dances in da Toon, een at da Marts an een at Soond.
Da nicht we'll dance da halls aroond, tied up at Heys in da moarnin."

Brum, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle,
Brum, rattle, rattle, rattle, reel.
Brum, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle,
Brum, rattle, rattle, lightship reel.