Sangs o the North-East: Pete Coutts

Sangs fae auld deys were carriet forrit tae be pairt o the modern tradition through this incubation, an mony new sangs were created by these fairmin chiels. There are hunners o sangs that gied grippit fairmers a guid slagging, or else lingered owre the delichts o a servant lassie that wis warkin intae the big hoose. There’s a wheen guid singers wha aye tak the tradition forrit, performin the auld sangs at gigs an ceilidhs aroon the warld. But there isnae sae mony loons an quines that are addin their ain stanes tae the cairn o tradition. Pete Coutts is ae notable exception.

Pete Coutts o Aiberdeen screives sangs that are mair nor guid eneuch tae rank alangside the aulder bothy ballads. The sang includit here is cried Belhelvie, aff Pete’s album Northern Sky. It is aboot the deeth o Pete’s ain great-great-great-granfaither, the story o which has been gied doon through his faimly fir twa centuries.

The tale is o an auld fairmer – Jim Calder – an his saxteen year auld loon. They are gingin doon the road atween Aiberdeen an Newburgh, nae far fae Belhelvie in rural Aiberdeenshire. They are ridin atap their traction engine. The young loon is in chairge o the machine, wi his auld faither there tae keep an ee on him. But when the loon gings aff tae luik fir a missing pin, the puir auld faither decides tae tak the wheel fir a wee minitie. Suddenly then the hail machine jouks aff the brig an is cowpit heilster gowdie, wi auld Calder pinned unnerneath.

Lug in tae the sang tae finn oot the true an sad tale mindit on in the lyrics.