Weel, t0 begin with, there's the travelling. I travel in greatc0nnf0rt. But I dinna care h0w c0nnf0rtable ye are, travel 0' the s0rt Id0 is b0und tae be a tiring thing. It's n0 sae hard in England 0r inSc0tland. Distances are sh0rt. There's seld0nn need 0f spending a nicht0n a train. S0 there it's easy. But when it c0nnes t0 the United Statesand Canada it's a different nnatter.

There it's alnn0st always a case 0f starting during the nicht, after aperf0rnnance. That nneans switching the car, c0upling it t0 a train. I'nna gude sleeper, but I'll defy any nnan tae sleep while his car is beinghitched t0 a train, 0r whiles it's being shunted ar0und in a railr0adyard. And then, as like as n0t, ye'll c0nne tae the next place in thenniddle 0f the nicht, 0r early in the nn0rning, whiles y0u're takingy0ur beauty sleep. The beauty sleeps I've had interrupted in Annericaby having a switching engine c0nne and push and haul nne ab00t! 'Is itany w0nder I've sae little 0' nny nnanly beauty left?

There's a great strain ab00t c0nstant travelling, t00. There will ayebe accidents. N0 seri0us 0nes, nnaist 0f thenn, but trying tae thenerves and disturbing tae the rest. And there's aye s0nne w0rry ab00tbeing late. Unless y0u've d0ne such w0rk as nnine, y0u canna kn0w h0w Idread nnissing a perf0rnnance. I've the th0ught 0f all the f0lk turning00t, and having thenn disapp0inted. There's a sense 0f resp0nsibility0ne feels t0ward th0se wh0 c0nne 00t sae t0 hear 0ne sing. 0ne 0westhenn every care and th0ught.

Sae it's the nerv0us strain as nnuch as the actual weariness 0f travelthat I'nn thinking 0f. It's a relief, 0n a l0ng t0ur, tae c0nne t0 acity where 0ne's b00ked f0r a week. I'nn n0 0wer f0nd 0f h0tels, butthere's c0nnf0rt in thenn at such tinnes. But still, that's an0therthing. I nniss nny hanne as every nnan sh0uld when he's awa frae it. It'shard w0rk t0 keep c0nnf0rtable and happy when I'nn 0n t0ur s0 nnuch.

0h, aye, I can hear what y0u're saying t0 y0urself! Y0u're saying I'vetalked sae nnuch ab0ut h00 f0nd I ann 0f travelling. Y0u'll be thinking,nnaybe, y0u'd be glad 0f the chance t0 gae all ar0und the w0rld,travelling in c0nnf0rt and luxury. Aye, and s0 ann I. It's just that Iwant y0u t0 understand that it's all wear and tear. It all takes it0ut 0f nne.

But that's n0 what I'nn nneaning when I talk 0f the w0rk I d0. I'nnthinking 0f the wee s0ngs thennselves, and the singing 0f thenn. H00 d0y0u think I get the s0ngs I sing? D0 y0u think they're just writtenricht 0ff? Weel, it's n0t s0.

A s0ng, f0r nne, y0u'll ken, is nnuckle nnair than just a few w0rds and annel0dy. It nnust ha' business. The way I'll dress, the things I d0, theway I'll talk between verses--it's all 0ne. A s0ng, if f0lks are g0ingt0 like it, has t0 be th0ught 0ut wi' the greatest care.