HERRIN'S HEIDS

HERRIN'S HEIDS
Traditional

Oh, fit'll I dae wi' the herrin's heids?

I'll mak them intae loaves o' breid,

I'll mak them intae loaves o' breid,

Sing fal the doo a day.

Herrin's heids, loaves o' breid,

An' a' sort o' things.

Chorus :

The herrin' it is the king o' the sea,

The herrin' is the fish for me,

The herrin' it is the king o' the sea,

Sing fal the doo a day.

Oh, fit'll I dae wi' the herrin's eyes?

I'll mak them intae puddin's an' pie's,

I'll mak them intae puddin's an' pies,

Sing fal the doo a day.

Herrin's eyes, puddin's an' pie's,

Herrin's heids, loaves o' breid,

An' a' sorts o' things.

Oh, fit'll I dae wi' the herrin's fins?

I'll mak them intae needles an' pins,

I'll mak them intae needles an' pins,

Sing fal the doo a day.

Herrin's fins, needles an' pins,

Herrin's eyes, puddin's an' pies,

Herrin's heids, loaves o' breid,

An' a' sort o' things.

Oh, fit'll I dae wi' the herrin's back?

I'll mak it a laddie, an' christen him Jack,

I'll mak it a laddie an. christen him Jack,

Sing fal the doo a day.

Herrin's backs, laddies an' Jacks,

Herrin's fins, needles an' pins,

Herrin's heids, loaves o' breid,

An' a' sort o' things.

Oh, fit'll I dae wi' the herrin's belly?

I'll mak it a lassie an' christen her Nellie,

I'll mak it a lassie an' christen her Nellie,

Sing fal the doo a day.

Herrin's bellies, lassies an' Nellies,

Herrin's backs, laddies an' Jacks,

Herrin's fins, needles an' pins,

Herrin's eyes, puddin's an' pies,

Herrin's heids, loaves o' breid,

An' a' sort o' things.

Oh, fit'll I dae wi' the herrin's tail?

I'll mak it a ship wi' a beautiful sail,

I'll mak it a ship wi' a beautiful sail,

Sing fal the doo a day.

Herrin's tails, ships an' sails,

Herrin's bellies, lassies an' Nellies,

Herrin's backs, laddies an' Jacks,

Herrin's fins, needles an' pins,

Herrin's eyes, puddin's an' pies,

Herrin's heids, loaves o' breid,

An' a' sort o' things.

Footnote : Confession time! Generations of Scots have enjoyed Tatties an Herrin and the herring might well be king of the sea but I canna thole them! As a bairnikie I stayed in the Aberdeenshire fishing village of St Combs, at a time when herring were plentiful and very much enjoyed by my parents, but no amount of telling me to eat up as fish gives you brains could induce me to take to this delicacy - tatties ay, herrins na. Perhaps that why I have no brains! Still this is an amusing ditty which proves that Scots waste nothing.