Jock Stewart – Live at Maceál

Our first video from our mailing series, we recorded Jock Stewart at the home of Maceál, this is one of our favorite songs and it’s so often a special request from our fans. We recorded Jock Stewart on our albums Rakkish Paddies and Double Live Check the sale for these albums in our shop

Background Info

“I’m a Man You Don’t Meet Every Day” is a traditional Scottish or Irish music hall song written from the point of view of a rich landowner telling the story of his day while buying drinks at a public house. According to Archie Fisher, the song is “an Irish narrative ballad that has been shortened to an Aberdeenshire drinking song” It is also known under the titles Jock Stuart, Jock Stewart or Jock Steward.

Various versions of the song exist. A “boastful Irish ditty” of that title is recorded as early as the 1880s. It was also passed on from Frederick “Cauliflower” Crossman, who had worked with Cecil Sharp, to Crossman’s granddaughter. Its most famous version is Jeannie Robertson’s from 1960. A recent popular version was recorded in 1985 by the Pogues, with bass player Cait O’Riordan on vocals. In both Robertson’s and O’Riordan’s versions, the song’s first-person narrator is presented by a woman, despite the song’s masculine narrative

Lyrics Jock Stuart

Now my name is Jock Stewart,
I’m a canny gaun man,
And a roving young fellow I’ve been.

So be easy and free,
When you’re drinkin’ wi’ me,
I’m a man you don’t meet every day.

I have acres of land,
I have men at command,
I have always a shilling to spare.

So be easy and free,
When you’re drinkin’ wi’ me,
I’m a man you don’t meet every day.

Now, I took out my gun,

With my dog for to shoot
Along by the banks of the Spey.

So be easy and free,
When you’re drinkin’ wi’ me,
I’m a man you don’t meet every day.

So. come fill up your glasses
Of brandy and wine,
And whatever the cost, I will pay.

So be easy and free,
When you’re drinkin’ wi’ me,
I’m a man you don’t meet every day.

The Jolly Beggar - Rakkish Paddies — Rakkish Paddies album cover

Rakkish Paddies is available on CD

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