| Author | Topic: Add: Newcastle Fair | |
| dmcg | Posted - 18 Jun 06 - 01:02 pm | |
When I was young and had nae sense, I bought a fiddle for eighteen pence, But the only tune that I could play Was "Over the hills and far away", And far away, and far away, Was "Over the hills and far away!" My mither said she'd let me go Tae Newcastle Fair and the races O, In an alpaca dress dress, a grees silk shawl, A black lace bonnet and a big chignon. A big chignon, a big chignon, A black lace bonnet and a big chignon. My Aunt Jenny called me in And gied me tay oot o'her wee tin W' bread an' butter and sugar on the top And three black-lumps oot o' her wee shop, Oot o' her wee shop, oot o' her wee shop, And three black-lumps oot o' her wee shop. She called me back but I could nae go, For she'd closed teh door on my big toe, And I dirtied my slip and broke my comb, And my mither was cross when I got home. When I got home, when I got home, And my mither was cross when I got home. Source: Singing Together, Summer 1976, BBC Publications | ||
| Malcolm Douglas |
Posted - 18 Jun 06 - 06:51 pm | |
The first verse at any rate is quite old, having been current as a children's rhyme since at least the mid 19th century. Iona and Peter Opie, The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren, Oxford University Press, 1959, 107-9, refer to it and quote parodies involving Lottie Collins and Charlie Chaplin. Evidently it continues to provide material for parody; a search via Google for "when I was young and had no sense" comes up with a fair bit, most of it scatological. One site, however, quotes the following lines as appearing in Logan, A Pedlar's Pack of Ballads and Songs, 1869 (no page reference given): When I was young and had no sense I bought a fiddle for eighteen pence, And all the tunes that I could play Was, "Over the Hills and Far Away." A form of the third verse also turns up in the repertoire of the Clancy Brothers/Tommy Makem; quite possibly the rest is also traditionally derived, but presumably the pamphlet provides no details. In Ireland the lines were sung to the tune 'In and out the Windows' ('Geordie's lost his Penker' etc); presumably elsewhere as well, though they will also fit 'Over the Hills and Far Away'. The tune used here seems vaguely familiar but I can't place it. Ought that to be "green" silk shawl? | ||
| dmcg | Posted - 18 Jun 06 - 06:53 pm | |
Yes .. I've fixed the main entry. Malcolm, have you any information on which of the various Newcastles it is referring to? I always assume Newcastle means Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and the races would of course fit, but the Fair there is usually referred to as the Hoppings. | ||
| Malcolm Douglas |
Posted - 18 Jun 06 - 08:35 pm | |
No idea, I'm afraid. | ||
| dmcg | Posted - 24 Jun 06 - 11:15 am | |
I've just entered another song and noticed this one is identified as from Ireland. | ||