It's Burns' Night and I'm away up to Scotland with one of his great songs dancing around ma heid. You can imagine the little ones being bounced on the knee, while this one was being sung around a hearthside. The cry 'ca' thro'' is a fisherman's urgent shout that his boat is coming into shore - make way - 'For we hae muckle ado' - we've lots to get done.
Of the recordings made of it, I especially like that by Andy M Stewart on his album: Songs of Robert Burns, Green Linnet Records, GLCD 3059. It has a great energy to it. Here's another from Ewan MacColl:
Up wi' the carls o' Dysart, And the lads o' Buckhaven, And the kimmers o' Largo, And the lasses o' Leven. Chorus
Hey, ca' thro', ca' thro', For we hae muckle ado. Hey, ca' thro', ca' thro', For we hae muckle ado; We hae tales to tell, An' we hae sangs to sing; We hae pennies tae spend, An' we hae pints to bring.
Chorus Hey, ca' thro', ca' thro'… We'll live a' our days, And them that comes behin', Let them do the like, An' spend the gear they win.
Chorus Hey, ca' thro', ca' thro'…