Alistair Hulett 2002
heid bummer = leader / gey close tae scunnert = to the brink of collapse / swap suppert = forcibly fed / ower blaistart = in an uproar / weel an’ brawly gouthart = in a quandary
Alistair Hulett: Alistair Hulett & Dave Swarbrick-Don’t Sign Up For War
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07KX91eKFdQ
See yon Arthur Henderson, head bummer of the working men When war broke out he pressed his suit and ran to catch the train He signed a deal in London, no more strikes until the fighting’s done In Glasgow town the word went round, take heed of John Maclean Chorus: He said a bayonet, that’s a weapon with a working man at either end Betray your country, serve your class. Don’t sign up for war my friend Don’t sign up for war When they turned him out of Langside Hall, John stood up at the fountain What he said was tailor-made to magnify the friction You patriots can roar and bawl, it’s nought but braggarts’ fiction The only war worth fighting for is war against oppression The police whisked him out of there and down to Queens Park station They told him plain, offend again and we’ll make you rue the day, son But Johnny didn’t turn a hair, he called for a demonstration A mighty throng ten thousand strong turned out against conscription The next time that they came for him, John kent they meant the business He didn’t plea for mercy, he said give me British justice The justice that he called for stunned many into silence When out of Hell the hammer fell, three years was the sentence The clamour to release Maclean reached fever pitch and more, man In a year and a half they called it off, but Christ it taxed him sore, man He came back old before his time, but he didn’t seem to care, man Do all you can, I’m still the one who’ll cause you to beware, man The last time they jailed Maclean he came gey close to scunnert With a rubber hose put up his nose they kept him swap suppert Let him out or keep him in, Red Clyde was ower blaistert Each way they turned the Government was well and brawly gouthart