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A lively dance tune called "The Hempdresser " with
words by Burns. It shows how much the people wish that the exciseman (custom's
officer) would be taken away, so that they enjoy themselves drinking and
dancing. Various Scottish dances are mentioned in the song. Burns wrote the
words when he was actually working as an exciseman himself!
The de'il cam' fiddlin' thro' the toun,
An'
danced awa' wi' the exciseman,
And ilka wife cried. "Auld Mahoun,
Ah
wish ye luck o' the prize, man".
The de'il's awa', the dei'l's
awa',
The dei'l's awa' wi' the exciseman,
He's danced awa', he's danced
awa',
He's danced awa' wi' the exciseman.
We'll mak oor maut,
we'll brew oor drink,
We'll dance and sing and rejoice man,
And mony
braw thanks tae the muckle black de'il
That danced awa' wi' the
exciseman.
The de'il's awa', the de'il's awa', etc.
There's
threesome reels, there's foursome reels,
There's hornpipes and strathspeys,
man,
But the ae best dance that cam' tae the land,
Was the de'il's awa'
wi' the Exciseman".
The de'il's awa', the de'il's awa', etc.
de'il - devil ilka - every
auld mahoun -
other word for Devil
maut - malt braw - great
muckle - huge ae -
one
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