Son of a Jazz trumpeter Craig was introduced early to Swing music. His uncle played in a Skiffle band, his grandparents had performed in theater and vaudeville on one side and on the other were self taught musicians and folk singers.
In the early days Craig Herbertson played in experimental bands including the Scottish New Wave band 'The Androids' reviewed in NME with air play on BBC Radio 1.
Later he rediscovered his folk roots, playing with a variety of bands including 'The Keltix whose songs were featured on BBC radio and television.
Craig picked up experience busking in Europe and America, from the Paris Metro to Riverboats on the Mississippi, during which time he learned fiddle, mandolin, banjo, penny whistle and piano.
In 2004 he hit number 20 in the BBC Indie charts with 'Hearts of Glory'
In 2011 Craig was awarded second prize in the category “Best Folk Rock Singer” of the 'Deutscher Rock & Pop Preis'.
As well as music he is also a critically acclaimed fantasy and horror author.
The Fish
Craig Herbertson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His keeper cam frae Penicuik
My brother wis just a fisherman
Frae Northfield farm in Edinbra
The Laird John Clerk held a fine estate
Bonnie fields and bright waters
His deer and game were sae widely famed
His keeper was a canny man
Guid guardian fir his masters'
On the salmon run wi his dog and gun
A dei'l fir the slaughter
My brother Keith wis a gallous lad
And dearly loved the poaching
Wi his rod and reel he gang aft to steal
A fish frae Clerkie's waters
In the deep o night, in pale moonlight
My brother watched the waters
Oe'r the croaking frogs came the bark o dogs
And the keeper there behind them
It's under moon and ower muir
Frae Northfield farm tae Penicuik
Wi his belt and knife he'd tae run fir his life
To dodge auld Clerkie's keeper
A' through the night he ran and hid
But the keeper could'na catch him
And he lost his gear by the ruined weir
His rod an a' his tackle
But in the light he saw a fish
A salmon in low water
Wi nae rod and reel just a guddlers feel
He threw her frae the water
And it's ower hills and far awa
Frae Penicuik through Duddingston
Wi a heart so blithe fir tae run fir his life
To dodge auld Clerkie's keeper
The lady Nairn had a canny cook
A chancer for a bargain
And he boucht the fish for auld Clerkie's dish
And nane tae be the wiser
Auld John Clerk, he got his fish
His keeper got the tackle
The cook got mair than a gillie's share
But my brother got the better
Rod and reel, field and stream
Mair midges ower the water
Let others seek where the salmon leap
My brother wis a fisherman
The song, The Fish, by Craig Herbertson, describes the story of a poacher and his attempt to catch fish from the estate of Laird John Clerk. The singer tells the tale of his brother who was an amateur fisherman, but he was not allowed to fish from the laird's estate. However, his love for poaching, which was strictly forbidden, did not allow him to give up on the idea of getting his hands on the laird's prized fish. He often used his fishing rod and reel for "stealing" fish from the Clerk's waters.
The Laird John Clerk had valued his land and the fish in his waters, and he employed a keeper who was a canny man to protect them. The keeper was skilful with his gun and dog and ensured the safety of the fish during the salmon run. One night, as the singer's brother was fishing in Clerkie's waters, he heard the barking of dogs and realised that the keeper was nearby. He tried to run away with his equipment, but he had to abandon his rod and reel by the ruined weir.
As he ran, he saw a salmon in low water and caught it with just "a guddler's feel" without a rod and reel. He dared to go to the estate of lady Nairn to sell the fish, which was used to make a dish for Laird John Clerk. The clever cook, however, knew the fish was poached but bought it secretly to avoid the wrath of the laird. The keeper got the tackle, and the laird got his fish, but the singer's brother got the better deal.
The song is a folksong that was released in the album, "Real Time" by Keltik Elektrik, in 2004. Craig Herbertson is a Scottish folk singer who belongs to The Ceilidh Stompers. The song tells a tale that reflects the lifestyles and issues of those who lived in Scotland centuries ago. While it might have been common or acceptable for some people to poach fish or game to put food on the table, it was an illegal act for others who wanted to maintain their estates' exclusivity.
Line by Line Meaning
The Laird John Clerk wis a belted knight
Laird John Clerk was a noble knight with a prestigious title.
His keeper cam frae Penicuik
The man who looked after his estate came from the nearby town of Penicuik.
My brother wis just a fisherman
My brother Keith's profession was solely fishing.
Frae Northfield farm in Edinbra
He operated from a farm known as Northfield and was based in Edinburgh.
The Laird John Clerk held a fine estate
John Clerk owned a grand estate with stunning fields and vast water bodies.
Bonnie fields and bright waters
The fields were lovely and the waters were shining brightly in sunlight.
His deer and game were sae widely famed
The deer and other animals he hunted were extremely famous, even among the poachers.
The talk o' a' the poachers
Poachers regularly discussed the rich wildlife found in his estate.
His keeper was a canny man
His keeper was an intelligent man who served his master well.
Guid guardian fir his masters'
He was an excellent protector of the owner and his assets.
On the salmon run wi his dog and gun
He hunted salmon with the use of a dog and a firearm.
A dei'l fir the slaughter
His hunting skills were so great that he was like the devil himself when it came to killing salmon.
My brother Keith wis a gallous lad
My brother Keith was a bold and rebellious chap.
And dearly loved the poaching
Keith had a profound passion for poaching and would do it often.
Wi his rod and reel he gang aft to steal
He used a fishing rod to steal fish from other people's private waters.
A fish frae Clerkie's waters
He often stole fish from the waters controlled by Laird John Clerk.
In the deep o night, in pale moonlight
He usually carried out his operations at night when the moon was shining.
My brother watched the waters
Keith would observe the waters to see where the fish were.
Oe'r the croaking frogs came the bark o dogs
Amid the croaking of frogs, barking dogs were heard in the vicinity.
And the keeper there behind them
These noises were created by the keeper and his dogs, who were always in the vicinity.
It's under moon and ower muir
Keith had to travel a long way in the dead of night to avoid detection.
Frae Northfield farm tae Penicuik
He had to run from his base at Northfield to Penicuik, Laird John Clerk's estate.
Wi his belt and knife he'd tae run fir his life
To escape from the keeper, Keith had to run for his life armed only with a belt and a knife.
To dodge auld Clerkie's keeper
His aim was to avoid the keeper, who was always on the lookout for poachers.
A' through the night he ran and hid
Keith spent the entire night running and trying to hide from the keeper.
But the keeper could'na catch him
The keeper couldn't catch him despite chasing him all night.
And he lost his gear by the ruined weir
In his attempt to flee from the keeper, he ended up losing his fishing gear by a ruined weir.
His rod an a' his tackle
He lost his fishing rod and all of his fishing equipment.
But in the light he saw a fish
However, just as the sun was coming up, he saw a fish in the shallow waters.
A salmon in low water
It was a salmon that had gotten trapped in low water nearby.
Wi nae rod and reel just a guddlers feel
Without his rod and reel, all he had was his bare hands to catch the fish.
He threw her frae the water
He managed to catch the fish and threw it out of the water.
And it's ower hills and far awa
Keith had to travel a long distance to avoid being caught with the fish.
Frae Penicuik through Duddingston
He had to cross the countryside from Penicuik to Duddingston.
Wi a heart so blithe fir tae run fir his life
Despite being pursued, Keith's heart was full of joy because of his successful fishing venture.
To dodge auld Clerkie's keeper
His task was to evade the keeper and keep himself safe.
The lady Nairn had a canny cook
Lady Nairn had a clever cook who was quite resourceful.
A chancer for a bargain
This cook was a shrewd negotiator who knew how to get a bargain.
And he boucht the fish for auld Clerkie's dish
He managed to buy the fish for Laird John Clerk's dinner.
And nane tae be the wiser
No one was aware of whence the fish had come.
Auld John Clerk, he got his fish
As planned, Laird John Clerk was able to feast on the fish that Keith had caught.
His keeper got the tackle
The keeper was able to retrieve Keith's fishing gear.
The cook got mair than a gillie's share
The cook got a bigger portion of the fish than what was usually given to servants.
But my brother got the better
Despite all of this, Keith was the real winner as he had caught the fish and made a successful escape.
Rod and reel, field and stream
Keith's life revolved around fishing in natural water bodies.
Mair midges ower the water
There were more insects over the water, which was a sign of an abundance of fish.
Let others seek where the salmon leap
Keith wanted others to go somewhere else and let him fish in peace.
My brother wis a fisherman
Keith was immensely proud of being a fisherman, despite its dangers.
Contributed by Lila D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.