Campbeltown Loch - The Song

The Song

The loch is immortalised in the folk song of the same name, repopularized by Andy Stewart in the 1960s. In the song (see below) the writer Alan Cameron expresses his desire that the loch be full of whisky. The basis of that ballad is that Campbeltown was originally a centre of whisky distilling but that the price of whisky in Campbeltown itself was too high.

Chorus:

Oh! Campbeltown Loch, Ah wish ye were whisky!

Campbeltown Loch, Och Aye!

Campbeltown Loch, I wish ye were whisky!

Ah wid drink ye dry.

Now Campbeltown Loch is a beautiful place,

But the price of the whisky is grim.

How nice it would be if the whisky was free

And the Loch was filled up to the brim.

I'd buy a yacht with the money I've got

And I'd anchor it out in the bay.

If I wanted a nip I'd go in for a dip

I'd be swimmin' by night and by day.

We'd have a gathering of the clans

They'd come from near and far

I can see them grin as they're wading in

And shouting "Slàinte mhòr!".

But what if the boat should overturn

And drowned in the Loch was I?

You'd hear me shout, you'd hear me call out

"What a wonderful way to die !"

But what's this I see, ochone for me

It's a vision to make your blood freeze.

It's the police afloat in a dirty big boat

And they're shouting: "Time, gentlemen, please!"

Campbeltown Loch is sung to a march written for the bagpipes, The Glendaruel Highlanders.

Coordinates: 55°25′N 5°33′W / 55.417°N 5.55°W / 55.417; -5.55