Hamish Blair: Bloody Orkney

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Mist forming over fields, Orkney: photo by Lis Burke, 18 May 2006

This bloody town's a bloody cuss
No bloody trains, no bloody bus,
And no one cares for bloody us
In bloody Orkney.

The bloody roads are bloody bad,
The bloody folks are bloody mad,
They'd make the brightest bloody sad,
In bloody Orkney.

All bloody clouds, and bloody rains,
No bloody kerbs, no bloody drains,
The Council's got no bloody brains,
In bloody Orkney.

Everything's so bloody dear,
A bloody bob, for bloody beer,
And is it good? -- no bloody fear,
In bloody Orkney.

The bloody 'flicks' are bloody old,
The bloody seats are bloody cold,
You can't get in for bloody gold
In bloody Orkney.

The bloody dances make you smile,
The bloody band is bloody vile,
It only cramps your bloody style,
In bloody Orkney.

No bloody sport, no bloody games,
No bloody fun, the bloody dames
Won't even give their bloody names
In bloody Orkney.

Best bloody place is bloody bed,
With bloody ice on bloody head,
You might as well be bloody dead,
In bloody Orkney.

There's nothing greets your bloody eye 
But bloody sea and bloody sky,
'Roll on demob!' we bloody cry
In bloody Orkney.
 

Bloody Orkney: this traditional song has been attributed to a Captain Hamish Blair, RN, said to have been stationed at Scapa Flow during WWII; variant stanzas include a riposte from the local citizenry:


Captain Hamish 'Bloody' Blair
Isna posted here nae mare
But no-one seems to bloody care
In bloody Orkney.

Langaness and Newan from Ravie Hill (Eefie Hill in background), Orkney: photo by John Comloquy, 18 August 2005

Ness of Tuquoy: The tip of the Ness, at Point o'the Scurroes, Orkney: photo by David Wyatt, July 2006

A view over the farm of Biggings towards Hoy and Stromness, Orkney: photo by John Ireland, 20 January 2007

Deepdale Farm, Scapa Flow and Scottish mainland to the south, viewed from Orkney: photo by Ian Balcombe, 31 January 2006

Farm buildings at Aith, on the south-east corner of Loch Skaill, Orkney: photo by David Wyatt, August 2005

Farm and lands at Cleat, Westray, Orkney: photo by Isla17, 13 July 2007

Barley crop ready to be cut, Upper Sanday, Toab, Orkney (island bird reserve of Copinsay seen in background): photo by Mark Crook, 2 August 2003

Whitemeadows, a croft in the heathery hillside on Rousay, Orkney: photo by s allison, 12 April 2007

Warthill, hilltop farm in East Holm, Orkney: photo by Karl Cooper, 28 February 2006

Barley field above Swannay Farm, Orkney: photo by John Comloquy, 18 August 2006

Heath on coastal terrace, Hobbister RSPB Reserve, Orkney: photo by C Michael Hogan, 9 July 2007