| AKA | Donald, where are your trousers? |
| First Published | 1950 |
| Writer/composer | Andy Stewart / Neil Grant | Roud | RN43183 |
| Music Hall Performers | (Andy Stewart) |
| Folk performances | Modern Performances: Andy Stewart |
From Traditionalmusic.co.uk Donald Whaur’s Yer Troosers I've just come down from the Isle of Skye, I'm no very big an' I'm awfy shy, And the lassies shout when I go by "Hey Donald, whaur's yer troosers?" Let the winds blow high, let the winds blow low Through the streets in ma kilt I go. All the lassies shout "Hello, Hey Donald, whaur's yer troosers?" A lassie took me tae a ball And it was slippery in the hall And I was feared that I would fall For I hadnae on ma troosers. I once went down tae London town And I had some fun on the Underground - A lady bent down tae pick up half a crown and said "Donald, where are your trousers?" The lassies want me, everyone Just let them catch me if they can - Ye cannae get the breeks off a Hieland man, And I don't wear ma troosers. I had a cold and ma nose was raw I hadnae handkercheif at a' So I lifted up ma kilt just tae give it a blaw WHEW, DONALD, WHAUR'S YER TROOSERS? Tae wear the kilt is my delight, And it's not wrong, I know it's right. How the folks back home would get a fright If they saw me wearin' troosers
Not a Music Hall song or a folksong, though it does borrow from a Music Hall song which in turn borrows from a traditional one! Donald, whaur’s yer troosers is a modern song written for the Scottish variety programme The White Heather Club, broadcast in the 1960s. The words were written and performed by by Andy Stewart while the tune was credited to Neil Grant – a pseudonym for BBC Producer Ian MacFadyen. It was it was an unexpected pop hit both in 1960 and later in 1989. Whilst there are some obvious melodic borrowings from archetypal Scottish tunes, it’s also been suggested that the “Donald, whaur’s yer troosers?” refrain is borrowed from Harry Lauder’s Hey! Donal – a song which in turn borrowed elements of earlier traditional material.
Andy Stewart (1933-993) sings it:
Sources:
- Lyrics: Traditional Music Library
- Russell Jackson; “15 famous songs every Scot will know”; The Scotsman (13 February 2017)
- Mudcat thread
Last Updated on December 22, 2023 by John Baxter | Published: July 6, 2023
