Archie has described how he taught himself to write songs originally through patching up incomplete
traditional material, while Ray and Archie also won widespread popularity with their TV
appearances, singing topical songs on the current-affairs magazine show Here and Now. This early
apprenticeship in writing to order, on specific subjects (later continued in his work for BBC Schools
Radio), helped reinforce the expertise in marrying rhythm, melody and language which has characterised
his songwriting ever since, with many of his compositions having entered the contemporary folk-song canon.
[Verse 1]
C F C
Three gypsies cam tae oor hall door
C F C
O but they sang bonnie-O
C F C
They sang sae neat and sae complete
C F C
That they stole the hairt o' a lady-O
[Verse 2]
C F C
And she cam trippin' doon the stairs
C F C
Maidens twa afore her-O
C F C
When they spied her weel-faured face
C F C
They cast their spells oot-owre her-O
[Verse 3]
C F C
And she's kicked off her high-heeled schoon
C F C
Made of Spanish leather-O
C F C
Awa' she's gone wi' young Johnny Faa
C F C
Across the rocks and the heather-O
[Verse 4]
C F C
Lord Cashel (?) he came hame at e'en
C F C
Spierin' for his lady-O
C F C
The maid she cried and she replied:
C F C
She's awa' wi' the gypsy laddies-O!
[Verse 5]
C F C
Gae saddle to me the bonny, bonny black
C F C
For the broon was ne'er so speedy-O
C F C
When he cam to the water side
C F C
He spied his weel-faured lady-O
[Verse 6]
C F C
Will you come home, my honey and my heart?
C F C
Will you come home, my lady-O?
C F C
Would ye forsake a' your hooses and your land
C F C
Your lord and your fine wee bairnie-O?
[Verse 7]
C F C
Last night I lay in a fine feather-bed
C F C
Sheets and blankets so cosy-O
C F C
This nicht I'll lie in the cauld clay haugh
C F C
Rowed in the arms o' a gypsy-O