The Portree Kid Chords & Lyrics - The Corries

[VERSE]
A man [Em]came riding oot the west one wild a[Bm]nd stormy day
He was[Em] tall and quiet and hungry his eyes[Bm] were smoky grey
He was[Em] lean across the hurdies but [Bm]his shoulders the[Em]y were big
The te[Am]rror of the hielan' [Em]glens that [Bm]was the Por[Em]tree kid

[CHORUS]
He dr[Bm]um ho, he [Em]drum hey, The te[Am]uchter that cam f[Em]rae Skye.

[VERSE]
His si[Em]dekick was an orra’man, and oh but [Bm]he was mean
He was[Em] ca’ed the midnight plough boy, and[Bm] he came frae Aberdeen
He had[Em] twenty seven notches on his [Bm]cromak so t[Em]hey say
And he[Am] killed a million In[Em]dians, way [Bm]up in Sto[Em]rnoway

[VERSE]
Portre[Em]e booted in the door he sauntered t[Bm]ae the bar
He pou[Em]red a shot o crabbies he shouted Sl[Bm]àinte Mhat
While [Em]midnight was being chatted up[Bm] by a bar room gi[Em]rl called Pam
Who sa[Am]id well howdy – stra[Em]nger, wad y[Bm]e buy's a [Em]babycham

[VERSE]
Now ov[Em]er in the corner sat three men frae[Bm] Auchertool
They w[Em]ere playing games for money in a sn[Bm]akes and ladder school
The fo[Em]urth man was a southerner who[Bm]’d come up from M[Em]acmerry
He'd b[Am]een a river gambler [Em]on the Ball[Bm]achulish[Em] Ferry

[CHORUS]
He dr[Bm]um ho, he [Em]drum hey, The te[Am]uchter that cam f[Em]rae Skye.

[VERSE]
Portre[Em]e walked up to the table and he sho[Bm]uted 'Shake me in'
He sho[Em]ogled on the egg cup, he ]gave the [Bm]dice a spin
He thr[Em]ew seven sixes in a row and t[Bm]he game was ne[Em]arly done
But he[Am] landed on a snake, [Em]and finishe[Bm]d on squa[Em]re one

[VERSE]
The ga[Em]me was nearly over and Portree was [Bm]doing fine
He’d l[Em]anded on a ladder, he was up to for[Bm]ty-nine
He onl[Em]y had but one to go and the o[Bm]ther man [Em]was beat
But th[Am]e gambler couped the[Em] board up, [Bm]and shouted "[Em]you're a cheat"

[VERSE]
Men di[Em]ved behind the rubber plants to try[Bm] and save their skins
The ac[Em]cordionist stopped playing, his sid[Bm]ekick dropped the spoons
He say[Em]s "I think its funny, you’ve [Bm]been up the ladde[Em]r twice,
And ye[Am] always dunt the tab[Em]le, when I’[Bm]m going to th[Em]row the dice"

[CHORUS]
He dr[Bm]um ho, he [Em]drum hey, The te[Am]uchter that cam f[Em]rae Skye.

[VERSE]
The ga[Em]mbler drew his Skian Dubh as fast a[Bm]s lightening speed
Portre[Em]e grabbed a screwtop and cracked hi[Bm]m O the heid
Then h[Em]e gave him laldy wi’ a salmon[Bm] off the [Em]wall
And he[Am] finished off the bu[Em]siness, wi’[Bm] his lucky gr[Em]ousefoot's claw

[VERSE]
Portre[Em]e walked up to the bar, he says "I’[Bm]ll hae a half"
And d’[Em]ye like the way I stuck it on that [Bm]wee Macmerry nyaff
But th[Em]e Southerner crept up behind [Bm]his features wrac[Em]ked wi’ pain
And gu[Am]bbed him wi' an asht[Em]ray made oo[Bm]t o' a curlin[Em]g stane

[VERSE]
The fi[Em]ght went raging on all night till o[Bm]pening time next day
Wi’ a [Em]break for soup and stovies aff a co[Bm]ronation tray
It was[Em] getting kind o' obvious, tha[Bm]t neither man [Em]would win
When c[Am]ame the shout that s[Em]topped it a[Bm]ll "there’s a[Em] bus trip comin in"

[CHORUS]
He dr[Bm]um ho, he [Em]drum hey, The te[Am]uchter that cam f[Em]rae Skye.

[VERSE]
They s[Em]ing this song in Galashiels and up [Bm]to Peterheid
Way dow[Em]n o’er the borders across the [Bm]Rio Tweed
About [Em]what became O’Portree, Midnig[Bm]ht and the gambli[Em]n' man,
They op[Am]ened up a gift shop [Em]selling fre[Bm]sh air in[Em] a can

[CHORUS]
He dr[Bm]um ho, he [Em]drum hey, The te[Am]uchter that cam f[Em]rae Skye.