Roy Gullane 1998
Gullane is longtime songwriter of the Tannahill Weavers.
Tannahill Weavers: The Great Ships
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk-TVpUy_Zk
In the city of Glasgow ’twas long in the cardsÿ If you lived near the river you’d work in the yards The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes Were the muckle great cranes that reached up to the skies Chorus Where we built the great ships of iron and steel The Lizzies, the Mary, we built them right here We built the great ships, the pride of the sea But now there is nae work for me And who would believe that we built the great ships? At the end of the forties apprenticed was I To the cream of the welders by the name of MacKay “You’ve two ears and one mouth so listen, don’t lip And I’ll show you young lads how we build the great ships.” At the end of the sixties, the whole thing just died We had marches and work-ins, my god how we tried There was no need for highly skilled craftsmen like me They build ships for damn all in Japan and Koree There’s scarcely a ship now and blessed few men As the river runs silent through Silicon Glen For an old clapped out welder you’ll not get much thanks Now there’s fish in the river and chips on its banks