The Deil’s Awa’ (William Whittaker)

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• (Posted 2023-12-20)  CPDL #78394:     

Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2023-12-20).   Score information: Letter, 12 pages, 692 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: The Deil’s Awa’
Composer: Anonymous (Traditional)
Arranger: William Whittaker
Lyricist: Robert Burns
Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong, Folksong

Language: Lowland Scots
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1919 J. Curwen & Sons
Description: Tune: THE HEMP DRESSER

Original text and translations

Lowland Scots text

The deil cam fiddlin’ thro’ the town,
And danc’d awa wi’ th’ Exciseman,
And ilka wife cries, “Auld Mahoun,
I wish you luck o’ the prize, man!”

The deil’s awa, the deil’s awa,
The deil’s awa wi’ the Exciseman,
He’s danc’d awa, he’s danc’d awa,
He’s danc’d awa wi’ the Exciseman.

We’ll mak our maut, and we’ll brew our drink,
We’ll laugh, sing, and rejoice, man,
And mony braw thanks to the meikle black deil,
That danc’d awa wi’ th’ Exciseman.

There’s threesome reels, there’s foursome reels,
There’s hornpipes and strathspeys, man,
But the ae best dance ere came to the land
Was “The deil’s awa wi’ the Exciseman!”