Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
The Duke o' Gordon / The Duke of Gordon's Daughter (Child No. 237) (1982) - Sung by Jean McPhee, a Traveller of Dundee, Angus, Scotland. From the documentary "Gypsies Sing Long Ballads" (1982). Filmed and recorded by John Cohen in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland.
The complete movie can be watched here:
folkstreams.net/films/gypsies-sing-long-ballads
I extracted the songs and used my knowledge on video editing to share them on Youtube in the highest possible quality, I used manual video upscaling (no AI was used!) for this, to further document variants of traditional ballads and songs which has been my hobby for many years. I claim no ownership of the video, all the rights belong with John Cohen.
Note about the film:
Scotland’s Travellers have lived outside mainstream society for more than 500 years. Although some of the Travelling People still live by the sides of roads, most live today in houses and are under pressure to abandon their culture. This film celebrates their traditional music, especially the long unaccompanied ballads that date back hundreds of years and have been handed down by memory through the generations.
Note by Kevin W.:
I was delighted to discover this video documentation of Scotland's greatest tradition bearers. The often poorly treated Scottish Travellers honor the memories of their ancestors through songs, music and storytelling. They are proud of their culture and kept old traditions alive for hundreds of years. Many of our most gifted traditional singers and storytellers are Travellers.
Scottish Travellers are an indigenous ethnic minority in Scotland who live or traditionally lived a nomadic lifestyle and for centuries were unfairly shunned by the settled population. For that reason the singing culture of the Travelling people had not been well documented before the 20th century when non-Travellers with an interest in folklore visited and befriended Travellers and started recording their songs, music and stories.
Song transcription:
The Duke o' Gordon had three pretty daughters
Aye 'twas Lizbeth and Margaret and Jean
And they would not stay at home in bonny Castle Gordon
Till they would see bonny Aberdeen.
But they were nae long in Aberdeen
But one twelvemonth and some days
Aye till Jean fell in love with Captain Ogilvie
Oh and (away) from him she would not stay.
Sure if I was on my hills on the Foudlen
Where oftimes I hae been
Sure it's I would find my way to bonny Castle Gordon
Without either stockings or sheen.
When she came to the Duke o' Gordon's gate now
Oh and down upon the plain
Sure the Porter is out with a loud loud shout
Saying it's here comes the bonny Lady Jean.
Duke o' Gordon come running downstairs
With his hat all into his hand
Saying, you're welcome, you're welcome, Miss Jeannie Gordon
But a stranger daur not enter my land.
(Spoken) That's it really.
A stranger daur not enter my land.
The Duke o' Gordon / The Duke of Gordon's Daughter (Child No. 237) (1982) - Sung by Jean McPhee, a Traveller of Dundee, Angus, Scotland. From the documentary "Gypsies Sing Long Ballads" (1982). Filmed and recorded by John Cohen in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, Scotland.
The complete movie can be watched here:
folkstreams.net/films/gypsies-sing-long-ballads
I extracted the songs and used my knowledge on video editing to share them on Youtube in the highest possible quality, I used manual video upscaling (no AI was used!) for this, to further document variants of traditional ballads and songs which has been my hobby for many years. I claim no ownership of the video, all the rights belong with John Cohen.
Note about the film:
Scotland’s Travellers have lived outside mainstream society for more than 500 years. Although some of the Travelling People still live by the sides of roads, most live today in houses and are under pressure to abandon their culture. This film celebrates their traditional music, especially the long unaccompanied ballads that date back hundreds of years and have been handed down by memory through the generations.
Note by Kevin W.:
I was delighted to discover this video documentation of Scotland's greatest tradition bearers. The often poorly treated Scottish Travellers honor the memories of their ancestors through songs, music and storytelling. They are proud of their culture and kept old traditions alive for hundreds of years. Many of our most gifted traditional singers and storytellers are Travellers.
Scottish Travellers are an indigenous ethnic minority in Scotland who live or traditionally lived a nomadic lifestyle and for centuries were unfairly shunned by the settled population. For that reason the singing culture of the Travelling people had not been well documented before the 20th century when non-Travellers with an interest in folklore visited and befriended Travellers and started recording their songs, music and stories.
Song transcription:
The Duke o' Gordon had three pretty daughters
Aye 'twas Lizbeth and Margaret and Jean
And they would not stay at home in bonny Castle Gordon
Till they would see bonny Aberdeen.
But they were nae long in Aberdeen
But one twelvemonth and some days
Aye till Jean fell in love with Captain Ogilvie
Oh and (away) from him she would not stay.
Sure if I was on my hills on the Foudlen
Where oftimes I hae been
Sure it's I would find my way to bonny Castle Gordon
Without either stockings or sheen.
When she came to the Duke o' Gordon's gate now
Oh and down upon the plain
Sure the Porter is out with a loud loud shout
Saying it's here comes the bonny Lady Jean.
Duke o' Gordon come running downstairs
With his hat all into his hand
Saying, you're welcome, you're welcome, Miss Jeannie Gordon
But a stranger daur not enter my land.
(Spoken) That's it really.
A stranger daur not enter my land.
