Tak' It, Man Tak' It lyrics

Song information

Artist: Andy M. Stewart
Album: Dublin Lady

Lyrics

When I was a miller in fife
Losh! I thought that the sound o' the happer
Said, ''tak' hame a wee flow to your wife
To help to mak' brose to your supper.''

Then my conscience was narrow and pure
But someway by random it rackit;
For I lifted twa neivefu' or mair
While the happer said, ''tak' it, man tak' it.''

Then hey for the mill and the kiln
The garland and gear for my cogie
And hey for the whisky and gill
That washes the dust frae my craigie

Although it's been lang in repute
For rogues to mak' rich by deceiving
Yet I see that it disna weel suit
Honest men to begin to the thieving

For my heart it gaed dunt upon dunt
Oh, I thought ilka dunt it wad crack it;
Sae I flang frae my neive what was in't
Still the happer said, ''tak' it, man, tak' it.''

A man that's been bred to the plough
Might be deav'd wi' its clamorous clapper;
Yet there's few but would suffer the sough
After kenning what's said by the happer

I whiles thought it scoff'd me to scorn
Saying, ''shame, is your conscience no chackit?''
But when I grew dry from a horn
It chang'd aye to ''tak' it, man, tak' it.''

The smugglers whiles cam' wi' their pocks
'Cause they kent that I likit a bicker
Sae I bartered whiles wi' the gowks
Gied them grain for a sowp o' their liquor

I had lang been accustomed to drink
And aye when I purposed to quat it
That thing wi' its clappertie clink
Said aye to me, ''tak' it, man, tak' it.''

But the warst thing I did in my life
Nae doot but ye'll think I was wrang o't;
Od! I tauld a bit bodie in fife
A' my tale, and he made a bit sang o't

I have aye had a voice a' my days
But for singin' I ne'er gat the knack o't;
Yet I try whyles, just thinking to please
The greedy, wi' ''tak' it, man, tak' it.''

Now, miller and a' as I am
This far I can see through the matter;
There's men mair notorious to fame
Mair greedy than me o' the muter

For 'twad seem that the hale race o' men
Or, wi' safety, the hauf we may mak' it
Ha'e some speaking happer within
That said to them ''tak' it, man, tak' it.''