Aul sayins fae tha hamested

My mother, to me: on the occasion of me reclining for a few moments on her chair,

"Luk at ye lyin bak thur like a churn a dryin."

Dandlin Sangs

Ally Bally (Coulter's Candy)

Ally bally, ally bally bee,
Sittin' on yer mammy's knee,
Greetin' for a wee bawbee, (crying) (a halfpenny)
Tae buy mair Coulter's candy. (to) (more)

My, yir legs are affa thin, (awfully)
A couple o' banes covered ower wi' skin, (bones) (over)
Noo yir gettin' a wee double chin, (now)
Wi' sookin' Coulter's Candy. (sucking)

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's ma thrifty doon, (give) (money box) (down)
Here's auld Coulter comin' roon', (old) (around)
Wi' a basket on his croon, (with) (crown/head)
Selling Coulter's Candy.

Coulter he's a affa funny man, (very)
He mak's his candy in a pan, (makes)
Awa an greet to yer ma, (away) (cry) (your)
Tae buy some Coulters candy. (to)

Little Annie's greetin' tae,
Sae whit can puir wee Mammy dae, (so) (what) (poor) (do)
But gie them a penny atween them twae, (between) (two)
Tae buy mair Coulter's Candy.

My Aunt Jane

My Aunt Jane she tuk me in

An gien me tay oot o her wee tin

Half a bap wae sugar on tha tap

An three black balls fae her wee shap

My Aunt Jane sez drink yer tay

An sing oot til yer dyin' day

An ye wunner why I an sae prood

An ye wunner why I sing sae lood

For my Aunt Jane she tuk me in

An gien me tay oot o her wee tin

Half a bap wae sugar on tha tap

An three black balls fae her wee shap.

(Video click here)

Dance Tae Yer Daddie

Dance tae yer daddie, My bonnie laddie, 

Dance tae yer daddie, My bonnie lamb

You will hear a fiddle, A story an a riddle

You wull hear a fiddle, When the boat cums hame

Dance tae yer daddie, My bonnie laddie, 

Dance tae yer daddie, my bonnie lamb 

Ye’ll soon hear a sang, Aa can sing alang 

Ye’ll soon hear a sang When the boat cums hame

Dance tae yer daddie, My bonnie laddie, 

Dance tae yer daddie, my bonnie lamb 

An ye’ll get a fishie, In a wee dishie 

An ye’ll get a fishie, When the boat cums hame

(Video click here)

Dandlin Sangs

Dandlin Sangs

Ach a ne whun A wus wee

Sittin oan ma mammy's knee

Her apren ture

A fell oan tha flure

Ach a ne whun A wus wee.

Hoo mony o’ ye wur jigged up an doon tae thon wee rhyme whun ye wur a wean? Am sure thur’s still a wheen o’ ye wull hae mine o’ yer mither oor granmither lettin oan tae drap ye whun tha got tae tha line afore tha een, ainly tae save ye at tha last second. Thon wus simpler times. Yet fer aa tha computers an fancy contraptions the' hae noo babbies still like a wee bounce oan thur mammy oor daddy's knee. Ma ain babbie wull torture me fer a wee gee-up gien oany indication that A’m likely tae oblige. An whiles it disnae help ma leg oany it daes ma hairt guid tae hear him shoot oot ture an dure es hae jigs aroon.

Hooaniver tha aul dandlin rhymes an sangs ir deein oot. An in thur stead wi hae pop sangs an ither aul nonsense. Bit ye can tak it fae me if ye hae a greetin wean tae distract, an aul fashion't dandlin sang is hard tae bate. Anither yin A hae mine o’  fae ma mither's knee is tha aul Coulters Candy sang. Wae caa'd it Ally Bally.

Ally bally, ally bally bee

Sittin on yer mammy’s knee

Greetin for a wee bawbee

Tae buy some Coulter’s Candy.

Yin that maist folk ken wud be tha Belfast song My Aunt Jane

My Aunt Jane she tuk me in

An gien me tay oot o her wee tin

Half a bap wae sugar on tha tap

An three black balls fae her wee shap.

A’ll lee ye wi yin mere dandlin tune, in case ye hae a babbie tae mine this weekend. A aye liked this yin, es ma freens an family wur brave’n aftin at tha fishin.

Dance tae yer daddie,

My bonnie laddie,

Dance tae yer daddie,

my bonnie lamb

An ye'll get a fishie

In a wee dishie

An ye'll get a fishie

When the boat cums hame.

This Article was published in last Saturday's Belfast Newsletter. As promised I will include all the words of the songs mentioned in a follow on post.

Cuddle Doon Link

In line with this Saturdays Column I'm posting a link to the oul Scots favourite Cuddle Doon by Alexander Anderson

http://lowcountrylad.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/cuddle-doon.html

Betsy Grey and the Hearts of Down

Tae pass a dreighy day

If'n yer oanythin lik masel ye'll no bae tae far travel't this wather. Aye, it's oan oul, coul, wet, days lik tha yins wae hae noo that A hae mine o ma mither lukkin’ oot tha winda an tellin' me, " thon's a day fer tha fire". Maun bit it's a lucky man that haes his kindlin' split an his scuttles fu tae tha brim.

Bit yince yer settled whut dae ye dae. Fer thur’s niver oanythin worth watchin' oan tha box an tha wireless disnae git guid tae tha nicht. Weel, if ye'll heed me, January is a quare month tae git caught up wi tha readin'. Iver tha past wheen o' years thur haes bin near a dizin o' tha oul Ulster-Scots classics reprinted.

If lik masel yer fae tha Ardes, an even if yer no, ye cud dae a hale locht worse thon tae git houl o' yin o' W.G. Lyttles buks tae pass a dreighy day.

Tha buks ir scrieved in tha 'kail-yard' style that wus popular, acroass tha scheugh, in Scotland at tha time. Yin o' tha main features o' this style is it’s use o’ twa languages fer whiles tha story is scrieved in English, aa tha taakin perts ir in Ulster-Scots. Noo es ye ken Am near aye oan fer tha braid Scots tha hale road. Bit A hae tae admit its no tha worst wye o’ wurkin. Especially fer aa thon wha ir a wee bit mere hesitant in readin tha hamely tongue.

If ye havnae read W. G. Lyttle A wud recommend ye tae stairt wi 'Betsy Grey and the Hearts of Down'. A story woven aroon oor ain folk an history. Tha buk taks es bak tae 1798 whun Betsy an hir  brither George alang wi hir fiance Willie Boal tak pert in tha 'Turn oot', tha name gien tae tha United Irish rebellion bye tha folk in tha Ardes. Tha buk follas brave Betsy fae tha Smidy at tha sax road ends tae tha battle o' Ballynahinch whur shae faced tha muskets an canons o tha King's sodjers. Aye tha dinnae mak them lik thon oany mere.

Tae nixt time lang may yer lum reek an yer spicket dribble

Lisneal College Burns Night

Hello Oul freens you are all invited to Lisneal's Burns Night Supper, Concert and Ceilidh on Friday 25th January at 7pm. The entertainment includes Tullitrain Pipe Band, Sollus, Shelly Anne Campbell and Tiny Feet schools of dance as well as a variety of talented local singers and musicians. Followed by the Alistair Scott Ceilidh Band. Tickets are priced at £14.50 and can be bought from the School Office (028 71348888)

Auld Lang Syne

Now you have no excuse on Mon Night (Tues morning) and of course on the 25th as well.

Auld Lang Syne

1788
Robert Burns

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne! Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne. We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne. And surely ye'll be your pint stowp! And surely I'll be mine! And we'll tak a cup o'kindness yet, For auld lang syne. For auld, &c. We twa hae run about the braes, And pou'd the gowans fine; But we've wander'd mony a weary fit, Sin' auld lang syne. For auld, &c. We twa hae paidl'd in the burn, Frae morning sun till dine; But seas between us braid hae roar'd Sin' auld lang syne. For auld, &c. And there's a hand, my trusty fere! And gie's a hand o' thine! And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught, For auld lang syne. For auld, &c