Corries - The Portree Kid lyrics
A man came ridin' oot the west one wild and stormy day
He was quiet, lean, and hungry - his eyes were smokey grey
He was lean across the hurdies, but his shooders they were big
The terror o' the heilan glens - that was the Portree Kid
Hee-durum-ho
Hee-durum-hey
The tuechter, that come, frae Skye
His sidekick was an orra man, an oh but he was mean
He was called The Midnight Ploughboy, an he come frae Aberdeen
He had twentyseven notches on his chrommach so they say
And he killed a million indians - way up in Stornoway
Portree booted in the door, he sauntered tae the bar
He poured a shot o' Crabby's, he shouted 'Slainte Mhor'
While Midnight was bein chatted up, by a bar room girl called Pam
Who said well howdy stranger, would ye buy us a Babycham
Now over in the corner sat three men frae Auchtertool
They were playing games for money, in a Snakes and Ladders school
The fourth man was a Southerner, who'd come up from MacMerry
He'd been a river Gambler, on the Ballachulish ferry
Hee-durum-ho
Hee-durum-hey
The teuchter, that come, fae Skye
Portree walked tae the table, and he shouted shake me in
He shougled on the egg cup, he gave the dice a spin
He threw seven sixes in a row, and the game was nearly done
But then he landed on a snake, and finished on square one
The game was nearly over, and Portree was dain fine
He'd landed on a ladder, he was up tae fortynine
he only had but one tae go, and the other man was beat
But the gambler couped the board oer, and shouted you're a cheat
Men dived behind the rubber plants, tae try and save their skins
Tha accordianist stopped playin, his sidekick dropped the spoons
He said I think it's funny, ye've been up that ladder twice
an ye ayways dunt the table, when I go tae throw me dice
Hee-durum-ho
Hee-durum-hey
The teuchter, that come, frae Skye
The gambler drew his sgian-dhub, as fast as lightning speed
Portree grabbed a screwtop, he cracked him oer the heid
Then he gave him laldy wi' a salmon aff the wall
And he finished off the business, wi his lucky grouse foot's claw
Portree walked up tae the bar, and says I'll hae a half
And dae ye like the way I stuck it tae that wee McMerry nyaff
But the Southerner crept up behind, his features wracked wi pain
And he gobbed him wi an ashtray, made oot a curlin stane
The fight went ragin on all night, till openin time next day
Break for soup an stovies, off a coronation tray
It was gettin kinda obvious that neither man would win
when came the shout that stopped it aw, 'there's a bus trip comin' in'
Hee-durum-ho
Hee-durum-hey
The teuchter, that come, fae Skye
They sing this song in Gallasheils, n up by Peterheid
Way down oer the border, across the Rio Tweed
About what became of Portree, Midnight and the Gamblin man
They opened up a gift shop, sellin' fresh air in a can
Hee-durum-ho
Hee-durum-hey
The teuchter, that come, fae Skye
Thanks to Mike for these lyrics
