Sandy's Blog
Bobby and Gordon Hogg's Fishing Song
by Casagrandeblog - 09:45 on 27 May 2013
I was really sorry to miss the ‘Memories’ session on the harbour. Fishing, in particular, has been so central to Cromarty life over the centuries, and yet I remember the late Bobby Hogg pointing out a bit wistfully that there wasn’t a single household in the Fishertown now that got its living from the sea.
So this is my tribute to Bobby, who did so much for Cromarty and is still so sadly missed. It’s the song he sang with his brother Gordon in 2007 to an interviewer from the Am Baile website. 
The Bay is very beautiful an full o biggar-men
I'll tak ma scoo an scanty an try the fleuks again
Ah'm almost in starvation, bunks in Queer Street now
So I must mak an effort to find a chow
Frost or snow won't stop me, an’ gales Ah divnae fear
For if the tide be soutin, Ah'll leave luck til ma gear
Maybe Ah'll get a quarter, maybe a troutie as weel
An then Ah'll see the barman in Balblair Hotel
Wi silver in ma pocket an oatmeal in ma scoo
Ah'll tramp gladly homeward like cadgers always do
An when Ah reach the bothie so sair an tired I am
Ah'll keep the home fires burnin an fry the ham
An then to bed as usual, three, four pints o beer
It's best to tak things easy, we'll no be always here
Oh wha would slave like Storum or stare like Jessie Poose?
There's little sense in savin pence for Chenrey Hoose.
Glossary
biggar-man – black flounder
scoo - creel
scanty – short line
fleuk – flounder, or any flatfish
Chenrey Hoose - the ‘workhouse’ at Chanonry Point.
If you want to hear the brothers singing, go to the Am Baile website.
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I am proud to at least know some of the present members of the Hogg family!