Scotlandsmusic

Adam McNaughton wrote this song for Betsy Whyte, the wonderful travellerstoryteller and singer. It describes the passing of a way of life for the travellers.This song is a great favourite.

Yellow's on the Broom

1. Ah ken ye dinnae like it lass tae winter here in toonFor the scaldies aye miscry us and they try tae bring us doonAnd it's hard tae raise three bairns in a single flea-box roomBut Ah'll tak ye on the road again when yellow's on the broom.

Chorus

When the yellow's on the broom, when the yellow's on the broom
plus last line of preceding verse

2.The scaldies ca' us tinker dirt and sconce oor bairns in school But who cares whit a scaldie thinks for a scaldie's but a fool They never hear the yorlin's sang, nor see the flax in bloomFor they're aye cooped up in hooses when the yellow's on the broom.

3.Nae sale for pegs nor baskets noo, sae jist tae stey aliveWe've had tae work at scaldie jobs fae nine o'clock till fiveBut we ca' nae man oor maister for we own the warld's room And we'll bid fareweel tae Brechin when the yellow's on the broom.

4.Ah'm wearied for the springtime when we tak the road aince mairTae the plantin', and the pearlin' and the berry fields at BlairWe'll meet up wi' oor kinfolk fae a' the country roonWhen the gang-aboot folk tak the road an yellow's on the broom.