Traditional, adapted by Jeannie Robertson,
additional lyrics by Enoch Kent

Mark Clavey: vocals, guitar
Mary Hanover: lead vocals
Rachel Bowerman: vocals
Tara McCullough: fiddle

Our final offering is the last of the four pieces Lloyd requested we include in this collection. In her book "The Democratic Muse", Ailie Munro relates that the Frobost-born, traditionalist/revivalist, Gaelic singer Jimmy Hutchison first heard this song in the mid-'60s from the singing of Enoch Kent. Enoch had, in turn, had it as one verse and a chorus from Jeannie Robertson who was the first to popularize the song during Scotland's folk music revival. Her song (our first verse and chorus) appears to have been adapted from a fragment of a 19th-century Irish music hall piece called "Muldoon, the Solid Man". Enoch, now living in Toronto, said that he fell in love with the song and wrote two more verses (our second and third verses)… AND graciously permitted us to use the song on our CD. And for those of you who are curious, the phrase "I'll fill your can", in the middle of the chorus, clearly meant the offer of a drink, and NOTHING MORE.

Lyrics

I'll lay ye down, love, I'll treat ye decent. I'll lay ye down, love, I'll fill your can. I'll lay ye down, love, I'll treat ye decent for surely he is an honest man.

As I was walking one Monday morning, down by the water and the pleasant strand. As I was walking, I heard them talking, saying, "Surely he is an honest man."

I'll lay ye down, love, &c

Now I hae traveled far from Inverrey, aye, and as far as Edinburgh town. But I must go, love, and travel further, and when I return I will lay ye down.

I'll lay ye down, love, &c

I'll leave ye now, love, but I'll return to ye, my love, and I'll take your hand. Then it's no more, love, I'll roam far from ye, no more to walk on some foreign strand.

I'll lay ye down, love, &c