Lyrics:
Well up on the moor where the laverock[1] does sing
And the pee wee[2] does cry and sooch[3] wi its wing
Whaur the whaup[4] it does hing frae the threids o the win
Is whaur ye’ll fin the buchts o Knockreoch
CHORUS:
O the buchts o Knockreoch, the buchts o Knockreoch
Close by tae the Rhinns o the Kells
Bring memories tae me o yon fine Glenkens men
Whae wrocht in the buchts o Knockreoch
The hirsel[5] was gathered in the early morn
And all of the ewes were to be hand shorn
It was a privilege to work at Knockreoch yon day
And be part of that time honoured neighbourly way
Davy fae Fasket he bolted tae me
And I laid a ewe by each stool clippers knee
And Jimmy McWhan rolled fleeces sae neat
And tramped them in the bag at Knockreoch
We wrocht fae sunrise tae nicht time at nine
And 40 score ewes o their fleeces were done
And weary were a’ that slipped doon the broae
That wrocht yon day long at Knockreoch
Yin day I’ll return tae yon buchts yinst again
Whaur noo aw the shearin is din by machine
Nae mair jolly neighbours given a helpin hand
It’s a gey lonely day at Knockreock
- laverock - lark
- pee-wee - lapwing
- Sooch (also known locally ‘such’) – a whistling or rushing sound of something moving at speed (e.g. bird’s wings, running water)
- whaup – curlew
- hirsel – flock of sheep
