THE YELLOW ON THE BROOM
(Adam McNaughtan)



When the yellow's on the broom
When the yellow's on the broom
I'll tak' ye on the road again
When the yellow's on the broom



I ken ye dinna like it, lass, tae winter here in toon
For the scaldies aye miscry us and they try tae put us doon
But it's hard to raise three bairns in a single flea-box room
So I'll tak' ye on the road again when yellow's on the broom



The scaldies call us 'tinker dirt' and strike our bairns in school
Who cares what a scaldy thinks a scaldy's just a fool
He never hears the yorlin's song nor sees the flax in bloom
For they're a' cooped up in hooses when the yellow's on the broom



No sale for pegs or baskets so just to stay alive
We have tae work at scaldy jobs from nine o'clock till five
But we call no man our master for we own the world's room
And we'll bid fareweel tae Brechin when the yellow's on the broom



I'm weary for the springtime tae tak' the road yince mair
For the plantin' and the pearlin' and the berry fields of Blair
We'll meet up wi' oor kinfolk from a' the country roon'
When the ganaboot folk tak' the road and the yellow's on the broom



to peter who is alive, derek who will always be, and to you my songbook of new belief.