SHORES OF THE FORTH/ FISHER's HORNPIPE

Sung by Davey Stewart with the Beggars Mantle Ceilidh Band, the song Shores of the Forth was composed by Matt Armour from Anstruther in Fife. The town of Anstruther, known locally as Ainster, is a thriving fishing port in the East Neuk of Fife. The herring shoals disappeared from the Forth many years ago forcing the boats to travel further and further in search of catches. The song captures the feelings of fisher folk of the area to the changing fortunes of the fishery.

1: Come aa you East Neuk fishin lads that stand in the prime o yer youth,
Come sit awhile alang wi me, I’ll tell ye aa the truth;
For I’ve lived nearby for aa ma days alang East Ainster toon,
Noo I’m gey near deid, I’ve earned ma breid, on the cauld hard herrin grunds.

Chorus:
In the auld trawl boats and the lang seine nets,
￼I’ve yaised up all o my youth;
Noo the herrin grund’s nae mair are fund,
￼Alang the shores o the Forth.

2: I signed wi Jimmy Gairdiner on the Annie Dear for tae sail,
Pit on a suit o ileskins, the makin o Willie Miles;
And I gaed tae the herrin grund, and man, that life was hard,
But a man stood high when his catch was cried alang by the auld sail yaird.

3: Ma brither Tam gaed doon alow when the Rose of Forth turned ower,
And I masel near done the same in the year o ’24;
These hands that used tae drag aa day are spleen and thrawn wi pain,
When an East wind’s blawn, I’m aa for gaun tae the herrin grunds again.

Chorus:
In the auld trawl boats and the lang seine nets,
￼I’ve yaised up all o my youth;
Noo the herrin grund’s nae mair are fund,
￼Alang the shores o the Forth.

FISHER'S HORNPIPE
A popular hornpipe favourite, Fisher's Hornpipe, is a traditional dance tune, and a popular fiddle competition tune, documented in manuscripts dating back to the late 1700's. It is well known in Scottish and Irish tradition and has been retained in the Appalachian tradition where is not uncommon to hear it at bluegrass and old time festivals. Recently, it became even more popular among bluegrass mandolin pickers, as a result of two young, lightning-fingered mandolin players. It has become a popular tune to play at Scottish/Irish/Celtic sessions and in the USA, where it is often played faster in 4/4 time it is a favourite at a Bluegrass jam, a Fiddle jam and an Old-Time jam ... how's that for versatility!

John Watt &amp; Davey Stewart put together the Beggar's Mantle Ceilidh Band to accompany the songs on their album <a href="http://www.springthyme.co.uk/1002/">Shores of the Forth</a> and provide some lively ceilidh music: Jock Ritchie from Inverkeithing on fiddle, Jock Mullen from Kelty on accordion, Robin McKidd from Glenrothes on guitar and bass and Brian Miller from Penicuik on guitar and mandolin. 

Fife’s Got Everything according to the song by John and Davey. A slightly exaggerated claim perhaps, but the two Fifers from Dunfermline and St Andrews respectively go a long way to prove it. Comedy songs, serious songs and recitations paint both a contemporary and past picture of this beautiful part of Scotland from two of the finest entertainers to come out of the ancient ‘Kingdom of Fife’. King James VI of Scotland described Fife as a ‘beggar’s mantle fringed with gold’ and this inspired the name of the band. The title song Shores of the Forth is one of the few songs on the album that was not written by John. Some of John's songs such as Kelty Clippie and Pittenweem Jo have become classics and have been recorded by several other singers since John and Davey first recorded them in 1976.

Shores Of The Forth : Fisher's Hornpipe

Springthyme is a record label dedicated to presenting Scotland's living tradition in song and music. Founded in 1974 by musician and singer Pete Shepheard, the label has introduced many fine singers, musicians to the world of recorded music. The very first album was recorded during the weekend traditional music festival held in Kinross in 1973 with musicians including Aly Bain and Tom Anderson and the Shetland Fiddlers and the first recording of ballad singer Stanley Robertson of Aberdeen. Other artistes on Springthyme include Jim Reid, The Foundry Bar Band, Ossian, Jock Duncan, Bill Black, Duncan Williamson, Lizzie Higgins, Jim Crawford, Tom Hughes, John Watt & Davey Stewart, Iain McLachlan and many more including a CD from Pete's own band Shepheard, Spiers & Watson. Springthyme has also issued recordings from their field recordings archive in cooperation with the Musical Traditions label.