The Corries - The portree kid

A man ^Emcame riding oot the west one wild a^Bmnd stormy day He was^Em tall and quiet and hungry his eyes^Bm were smoky grey He was^Em lean across the hurdies but ^Bmhis shoulders the^Emy were big The te^Amrror of the hielan' ^Emglens that ^Bmwas the Por^Emtree kid

He dr^Bmum ho, he ^Emdrum hey, The te^Amuchter that cam f^Emrae Skye. [Verse] His si^Emdekick was an orra’man, and oh but ^Bmhe was mean He was^Em ca’ed the midnight plough boy, and^Bm he came frae Aberdeen He had^Em twenty seven notches on his ^Bmcromak so t^Emhey say And he^Am killed a million In^Emdians, way ^Bmup in Sto^Emrnoway

Portre^Eme booted in the door he sauntered t^Bmae the bar He pou^Emred a shot o crabbies he shouted Sl^Bmàinte Mhat While ^Emmidnight was being chatted up^Bm by a bar room gi^Emrl called Pam Who sa^Amid well howdy – stra^Emnger, wad y^Bme buy's a ^Embabycham

Now ov^Emer in the corner sat three men frae^Bm Auchertool They w^Emere playing games for money in a sn^Bmakes and ladder school The fo^Emurth man was a southerner who^Bm’d come up from M^Emacmerry He'd b^Ameen a river gambler ^Emon the Ball^Bmachulish^Em Ferry

He dr^Bmum ho, he ^Emdrum hey, The te^Amuchter that cam f^Emrae Skye. [Verse] Portre^Eme walked up to the table and he sho^Bmuted 'Shake me in' He sho^Emogled on the egg cup, he ]gave the ^Bmdice a spin He thr^Emew seven sixes in a row and t^Bmhe game was ne^Emarly done But he^Am landed on a snake, ^Emand finishe^Bmd on squa^Emre one

The ga^Emme was nearly over and Portree was ^Bmdoing fine He’d l^Emanded on a ladder, he was up to for^Bmty-nine He onl^Emy had but one to go and the o^Bmther man ^Emwas beat But th^Ame gambler couped the^Em board up, ^Bmand shouted "^Emyou're a cheat"

Men di^Emved behind the rubber plants to try^Bm and save their skins The ac^Emcordionist stopped playing, his sid^Bmekick dropped the spoons He say^Ems "I think its funny, you’ve ^Bmbeen up the ladde^Emr twice, And ye^Am always dunt the tab^Emle, when I’^Bmm going to th^Emrow the dice"

He dr^Bmum ho, he ^Emdrum hey, The te^Amuchter that cam f^Emrae Skye. [Verse] The ga^Emmbler drew his Skian Dubh as fast a^Bms lightening speed Portre^Eme grabbed a screwtop and cracked hi^Bmm O the heid Then h^Eme gave him laldy wi’ a salmon^Bm off the ^Emwall And he^Am finished off the bu^Emsiness, wi’^Bm his lucky gr^Emousefoot's claw

Portre^Eme walked up to the bar, he says "I’^Bmll hae a half" And d’^Emye like the way I stuck it on that ^Bmwee Macmerry nyaff But th^Eme Southerner crept up behind ^Bmhis features wrac^Emked wi’ pain And gu^Ambbed him wi' an asht^Emray made oo^Bmt o' a curlin^Emg stane

The fi^Emght went raging on all night till o^Bmpening time next day Wi’ a ^Embreak for soup and stovies aff a co^Bmronation tray It was^Em getting kind o' obvious, tha^Bmt neither man ^Emwould win When c^Amame the shout that s^Emtopped it a^Bmll "there’s a^Em bus trip comin in"

He dr^Bmum ho, he ^Emdrum hey, The te^Amuchter that cam f^Emrae Skye. [Verse] They s^Eming this song in Galashiels and up ^Bmto Peterheid Way dow^Emn o’er the borders across the ^BmRio Tweed About ^Emwhat became O’Portree, Midnig^Bmht and the gambli^Emn' man, They op^Amened up a gift shop ^Emselling fre^Bmsh air in^Em a can

He dr^Bmum ho, he ^Emdrum hey, The te^Amuchter that cam f^Emrae Skye.