Where hes te been, maw canny hinny?
Where hes te been, maw bonny bairn?
Aw was up an' doon, seekin' for maw hinny;
Aw was throo' the toon seekin' for maw bairn.

Aw went up the Butcher Bank an' doon Grindin' Chare;
Ca'd at the Dun Cow, but aw cuddent find thee there.

Where hes te been, etc.

Then aw went to the Cassel Garth and ca'd on Jonny Fife;
The beer-drawer tell'd me she ne'er saw thee in her life.

Where hes te been, etc.

Then aw went into the Three Bulls' Heeds, an' doon the Lang Stairs,
An' a' the way alang the Close as far as Mr Mayor's.

Where hes te been, etc.

Frae there aw went alang the Brig, an' up te Jackson's Chare,
Then back agyen te the Cross Keys, but cuddent find thee there.

Where hes te been, etc.

Then cummin' oot o' Pipergate aw met wi' Willy Rigg,
Whe tell'd me that he saw thee standin' luikin' ower the Brig.

Where hes te been, etc.

Cummin' alang the Brig again, aw met wi' Cristy Gee;
He tell'd me that he saw thee gannin' doon Hume's Entry.

Where hes te been, etc.

Where hev aw been? aw can sure tell ye that:
Cummin' up the Kee aw met wi' Peter Pratt;
Meetin' Peter Pratt, we met wi' Tommy Wear,
And went te Hume's te get a gill o' beer.

That's where aw've been, maw canny hinny!
That's where I've been, maw bonny lamb!
Was tu up and doon seekin' for thee hinny?
Was tu up an' doon seekin' for thee lamb?

Then aw met yer Ben an' we were like to fite,
An' when we cam' to Sandgate it was pick nite;
Crossin' the road aw met wi' Bobby Swinny -
Hing on the girdle, let's hev a singin' hinny.

A' me sorrow's ower noo aw've fund me hinny,
A' me sorrow's ower noo aw've fund me bairn;
Lang may aw shoot, maw canny hinny,
Lang may aw shoot, maw canny bairn.
Cummin' alang the Brig agyen,


abc | midi | pdf

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Source: J Collingwood Bruce and John Stokoe, 1882, Songs and Ballads of Northern England, Walter Scott Ltd, London and Ne

Notes:


Roud: 3168 (Search Roud index at VWML)
Laws:
Child: