Tom: Em
Em Bm
A man came riding oot the west one wild and stormy day
Em Bm
He was tall and quiet and hungry his eyes were smoky grey
Em Bm Em
He was lean across the hurdies but his shoulders they were big
Am Em Bm Em
The terror of the hielan' glens that was the Portree kid
[Chorus]
Bm Em Am Em
He drum ho, he drum hey, The teuchter that cam frae Skye.
[Verse]
Em Bm
His sidekick was an orra’man, and oh but he was mean
Em Bm
He was ca’ed the midnight plough boy, and he came frae Aberdeen
Em Bm Em
He had twenty seven notches on his cromak so they say
Am Em Bm Em
And he killed a million Indians, way up in Stornoway
[Verse]
Em Bm
Portree booted in the door he sauntered tae the bar
Em Bm
He poured a shot o crabbies he shouted Slàinte Mhat
Em Bm Em
While midnight was being chatted up by a bar room girl called Pam
Am Em Bm Em
Who said well howdy – stranger, wad ye buy's a babycham
[Verse]
Em Bm
Now over in the corner sat three men frae Auchertool
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They were playing games for money in a snakes and ladder school
Em Bm Em
The fourth man was a southerner who’d come up from Macmerry
Am Em Bm Em
He'd been a river gambler on the Ballachulish Ferry
[Chorus]
Bm Em Am Em
He drum ho, he drum hey, The teuchter that cam frae Skye.
[Verse]
Em Bm
Portree walked up to the table and he shouted 'Shake me in'
Em Bm
He shoogled on the egg cup, he ]gave the dice a spin
Em Bm Em
He threw seven sixes in a row and the game was nearly done
Am Em Bm Em
But he landed on a snake, and finished on square one
[Verse]
Em Bm
The game was nearly over and Portree was doing fine
Em Bm
He’d landed on a ladder, he was up to forty-nine
Em Bm Em
He only had but one to go and the other man was beat
Am Em Bm Em
But the gambler couped the board up, and shouted "you're a cheat"
[Verse]
Em Bm
Men dived behind the rubber plants to try and save their skins
Em Bm
The accordionist stopped playing, his sidekick dropped the spoons
Em Bm Em
He says "I think its funny, you’ve been up the ladder twice,
Am Em Bm Em
And ye always dunt the table, when I’m going to throw the dice"
[Chorus]
Bm Em Am Em
He drum ho, he drum hey, The teuchter that cam frae Skye.
[Verse]
Em Bm
The gambler drew his Skian Dubh as fast as lightening speed
Em Bm
Portree grabbed a screwtop and cracked him O the heid
Em Bm Em
Then he gave him laldy wi’ a salmon off the wall
Am Em Bm Em
And he finished off the business, wi’ his lucky grousefoot's claw
[Verse]
Em Bm
Portree walked up to the bar, he says "I’ll hae a half"
Em Bm
And d’ye like the way I stuck it on that wee Macmerry nyaff
Em Bm Em
But the Southerner crept up behind his features wracked wi’ pain
Am Em Bm Em
And gubbed him wi' an ashtray made oot o' a curling stane
[Verse]
Em Bm
The fight went raging on all night till opening time next day
Em Bm
Wi’ a break for soup and stovies aff a coronation tray
Em Bm Em
It was getting kind o' obvious, that neither man would win
Am Em Bm Em
When came the shout that stopped it all "there’s a bus trip comin in"
[Chorus]
Bm Em Am Em
He drum ho, he drum hey, The teuchter that cam frae Skye.
[Verse]
Em Bm
They sing this song in Galashiels and up to Peterheid
Em Bm
Way down o’er the borders across the Rio Tweed
Em Bm Em
About what became O’Portree, Midnight and the gamblin' man,
Am Em Bm Em
They opened up a gift shop selling fresh air in a can
[Chorus]
Bm Em Am Em
He drum ho, he drum hey, The teuchter that cam frae Skye.
