Gallus Bloke

Trad

Oh yer ma wee gallus bloke nae mair
Yer ma wee gallus bloke nae mair
Wi’ yer bell blue stride, yer bonnet tae the side
Yer ma wee gallus bloke nae mair

As I went by the sweetie works my heart began to beat
Watching all the factory lassies walking doon the street
Wi’ their flashy dashy petticoats, flashy dashy shawls
Five and a tanner gutty boots we’re all wee gallus molls

And yer ma wee gallus bloke nae mair
Yer ma wee gallus bloke nae mair
Wi’ yer bell blue stride, yer bonnet tae the side
Yer ma wee gallus bloke nae mair

Now Scots it is a novel tongue, the meaning’s hard to tell
It’s in aboot an’ hae nae doot it’s tapsel teary’ll
But we are only doin’ our best, we try to do it well
But what this song is all about we dinae ken oursel’

And yer ma wee gallus bloke nae mair
Yer ma wee gallus bloke nae mair
Wi’ yer bell blue stride, yer bonnet tae the side
Yer ma wee gallus bloke nae mair

Gallus is a term used mostly in the West of Scotland. A fairly comprehensive term covering a range of values, such as streetwise, cocky, sharp, bold, tough, flash, nonchalant. The second line of the second verse has defied all efforts at translation!