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)

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

'Guid Wittins Frae Docter Luik'

Taken from: 'Guid Wittins Frae Docter Luik'
"Dinnae be feart, for A'm bringin yis tha best news iver; an it's for tha hale warl! Tha Saviour, ay, tha Christ, tha Lord, haes this nicht bin boarn in Bethlehem, tha toon o Davit. An this is hoo ye'll ken him. Ye'll fin a babbie, rowlt in bits o claith, lyin amang tha fother in a manger.'

Yin Mere Clean Shirt

Yin Mere Clean Shirt

Greetin’s oul freens A hope this week fins ye aa weel fer thur’s alocht o' seekness gan roon. Ivery ither cretter ye meet is deein' wi tha cowl. Ay, an Am nae exception. A hae an oul craitle in my breesht a cannae git ridd o'. Fower weeks A hae bin hirslin. Last week A tuk maesel tae tha doctor bit thon antibiotics he gien me micht es weel o' bin smerties fer aa tha guid the’ daen.

Durin' tha day it’s no tae bad bit at nicht Am splooterin an blooterin simthin wile. Ay, wi aa tha weeslin an clocerin gan oan it's a wunner oanyin in tha hoose's gits oany sleep.

Tha ither day tha plooterin' an bloicherin' wus sae fierce that A managed tae pu simthin in ma showlder an noo A hae tae houl maesel lik Ballyhalbert, aa tae tha yin side. An es if aa thon wusnae bad eneuch a hae cum doon wi a quare dose o’ tha cowl forbye. Ma heid's blocked, ma neb's rinnin' an ma thrapple is es reuch es a badgers erse.

Ay, a doot yin mere clean shirt 'ell dae mae. Bit the' say if ye dinnae laugh ye'll cry sae A’ll lee ye wi this oul yin.

Thur wus an oul cretter wha wunt tae tha doctor wi a wile pain in haes richt han.

"Ach doctor," sez he, "A hae a pooerfu sore han. A can herdly clase it."

The doctor asts him tae strip tae haes simmit an gaes him a quare gan iver. Efter haes bin pued an hoaked fae heid tae fit.

The doctor sez, "A hae a cream fer ye that shud sort yer han oot in nae time."

Relieved tha oul boy sez, "A’m gled tae hear it doctor, bit Am wunnerin’ wun tha pain gans, wu’ll a bae fit tae play tha piano?"

"Aff coorse," sez tha doctor. “It’ll bae nae boather tae ye”.

"Am quare an gled tae hear thon," sez tha oul cretter, "fer A cudnae play it befur."