Jock Stewart

(Traditional: Arranged by Brendan Nolan, Gerry O'Neill and Toby Kinsella)

Key of C, capo 5, open G (DBGDGD)

The great Scottish singer and songwriter Archie Fisher included this song on his album "The Man With a Rhyme." I suppose you might call it a variation on the idea of 'how to win friends and influence people.' As Archie notes in the sleeve-notes introduction to the song, it was adopted by Scottish singers having originally been an Irish song. He also notes that there is no river Kildare in Ireland. Maybe the author meant to say the 'County Kildare' or it was just simply written down wrongly. A more recent version of the song by another Scot, Ed Millar, puts the scene in a more Scottish context by singing "Down by the sweet River Tay," ... very nice! Ed also includes a new verse, but you'll have to go to his web-site to get that.

My name is Jock Stewart
I'm a canny gawn man
And a roving young fellow I've been

Chorus:
So be easy and free
When you're drinking with me
I'm a man you don't meet everyday

I have acres of land
I have men at command
And I've always a shilling to spare

I took out my gun
With my dog I did shoot
All down by the river Kildare

So come fill up your glasses
With brandy or wine
And whatever the cost, I will pay