28 years ago, when I lived in Edmonton, Dougie MacLean was a pretty regular visitor to small clubs in the city. I never missed a performance. Not only was the music grand, but he would always teach us the choruses as if Scots-accented English were a foreign language.
” ‘Oh, are ye sleepin’, lassie,’ — that means ‘oh, are you sleeping, lassie?’ — now try that out once. Oh, that’s verra nice. That means ‘very nice’.”
So encouraged, I learned the secret of the North American-Scots accent, which is; that we are sae frugal we willna move oor lips. Just try it. Ye’ll see it works verra weel.
Here’s one of my favorites, I am Ready for the Storm.