Joe Kerr "Coulters Candy" Scottish Traditional folk song

Heres Joe Kerr a folk allrounder and busker when I videoed him in 1997 giving us his unforgetable rendition of "Coulter's Candy" a traditional childrens song from his native Scotland.

All rights are reserved on this video sound recording copyright Jim Clark 2011

Coulters Candy was written by Robert Coltard who(died in 1890) as kind of advertising jingle. The aniseed-flavoured candy was manufactured in Melrose. Unfortunately the recipe for this children's delight died with him, but the song lived on. In 1958 a letter in "The Weekly Scotsman" reported that a man remebered hearing it from his grandmother, who in turn had learned the song about 1845. It was collected in a children's playground in 1964 by James T. Ritche's. He published it in a book called "The Singing Street". Presumably the original version would have been "Coltard's Candy". It was recorded by Donovan on "HMS Donovan" (1971). Hamish Imlach recorded a parody version, where a buyer complains about the poor quality of the candy. Ray Fisher notes that it has become a lullaby. The word Bawbee is old currency - a silver sixpence. Alexander Orrok of Sillebawby was a 16th-century head of the Scottish Mint. The coin went out of circulation in 1707 but the word lived on, used to refer to a bronze halfpenny.

Ally, bally, ally bally bee,
Sittin' on yer mammy's knee
Greetin' for anither bawbee,
Tae buy mair Coulter's candy.

Ally. bally, ally, bally bee,
When you grow up you'll go to sea,
Makin' pennies for your daddy and me,
Tae buy mair Coulter's Candy.

Mammy gie me ma thrifty doon
Here's auld Coulter comin' roon
Wi' a basket on his croon
Selling Coulter's Candy.

Little Annie's greetin' tae
Sae whit can puir wee Mammy dae
But gie them a penny atween them twae
Tae buy mair Coulter's Candy.

Poor wee Jeannie's lookin' affa thin,
A rickle o' banes covered ower wi' skin,
Noo she's gettin' a double chin
Wi' sookin' Coulter's Candy.

Meaning of unusual words:

rickle=heap

Category:

Music

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