Heather Jock

DESCRIPTION: "Heather Jock's noo awa' (x2), The muircock noo may crousely craw, Since Heather Jock's noo away'." Jock can hide anywhere, and steal anything; bad from his youth, he also plays music on the sabbath. Now he is caught and on his way to Botany Bay
AUTHOR: credited by Ford to Dr. James Stirling
EARLIEST DATE: 1843 (Whitelaw-BookOfScottishSong)
KEYWORDS: thief transportation
FOUND IN: Ireland Britain(Scotland)
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Henry/Huntingdon/Herrmann-SamHenrysSongsOfThePeople H39, pp. 123-124, "Heather Jock" (1 text, 1 tune)
Whitelaw-BookOfScottishSong, p. 276, "Heather Jock" (1 text)
Ford-VagabondSongsAndBalladsOfScotland, pp. 131-135, "Heather Jock" (1 text, 1 tune)
Greig/Duncan2 255, "Heather Jock" (1 text, 1 tune)
ADDITIONAL: Hugh Anderson, _Farewell to Judges and Juries: The Broadside Ballad and Convict Transportation to Australia, 1788-1868_, Red Rooster Press, 2000, pp. 347-348, "Heather Jock" (1 text, with a tune on p. 590)
Roud #2339
BROADSIDES:
NLScotland, L.C.Fol.178.A.2(093), "Heather Jock," unknown, c. 1875; also L.C.Fol.70(132b), c. 1890
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Donald Caird" (tune, according to Whitelaw-BookOfScottishSong; see Notes)
NOTES [103 words]: The tune here is not quite "Bobby Shaftoe" (or relatives such as "Katie Beardie"), but it sounds to me as if it might be derived from that type.
Even though Jock was apparently a scourge of the community, you can't help but feel that the singer admired him.
Ford gives extensive notes regarding John Ferguson, who reportedly inspired the song. He is said to have been placed on trial in 1812 and transported for life, primarily for stealing cattle. - RBW
For a possible lead on the tune see Mudcat Cafe thread "Lyr Add: Donald Caird's Come Again (Walter Scott)" at http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=16763#158078 - BS
Last updated in version 6.6
File: HHH039

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