Author Topic: Add: Coulter's Candy [Sugar Candy]

dmcg

 Posted - 30 Nov 04 - 09:01 am
There was a wee lassie awfy thin,
A bundle o' bones wrapped up in skin,
Now she's gettin' a wee double chin,
Wi' eatin' sugar candy.

(Chorus)
Ally, bally, ally bally bee,
Sittin' on your mammy's knee.
Greetin' for another bawbee
To buy some sugar candy.

Poor wee Annie's greetin' too,
What can her poor mammy do,
But gi'e them a penny between them two,
To buy some sugar candy.

"Mammy gi'es my banky doon,
Here's auld Coo'ter comin' roon',
Wi' his basket on his croon
An' sellin' sugar candy."

"Dinna you greet, my wee babby,
You know your daddy's gone to sea.
Earnin' pennies for you and me
To buy some sugar candy."


Source: Singing Together, Autumn 1972, BBC Publications


Notes:

Given in the booklet as 'Sugar Candy', I have never heard this called anything other than "Coulter's Candy" (with various spellings). I suspect the original title fell foul of the BBC policy at the time to avoid free advertising of any kind.

Quoting another website:

Coltart's Candy ( pronounced Coolter ) is a well-known and still popular children's song which Robert Coltart wrote himself, ( an early form of advertisement ! ). It was made in Melrose by this colourful travelling man who attracted children like a Pied Piper so popular was his aniseed-flavoured candy. The recipe died with Coltart in 1890.





dmcg

 Posted - 30 Nov 04 - 09:09 am
This Mudcat Thread indicates the "sugar Candy" version is better known than I thought and there is some speculation that it might be older than the 'Coulter' form. No evidence is given either way.



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