A bloggee-and one from the Merse-has drawn Huttonian's attention to one of Rabbi* Burns' less familiar songs. I suspect that it is never performed at the Coldstream Burns Club or indeed any other in the vicinity of this region as some of the sentiments are unflattering to the local Laird of Lairds and to the people of the Merse
Burns OriginalStandard English Translation
It's Up Wi' The Souters O' Selkirk TUNE: The Souters O' Selkirk (The Cobblers of Selkirk)It's up wi' the Souters o' Selkirk, And down wi' the Earl of Hume, And here is to a' the braw laddie That wear the single-sol'd shoon. It's up wi' the Souters o' Selkirk, For they are baith trusty and leal, And up wi' the lads o' the Forest, And down wi' the Merse to the deil!
It Is Up With The Cobblers Of Selkirk It is up with the cobblers of Selkirk,And down with the Earl of Hume,And here is to all the handsome ladsThat wear the single-soled shoes.It is up with the cobblers of Selkirk,For they are both trusty and loyal,And up with the lads of the Forest,And down with the Merse to the devil!
* Rabbie surely Blog-ed
