This song is one of my all-time favorites. But (I’m sorry to say) I hardly understand the lyrics. Can anyone translate it into plain English? (or at least summarize it?)
Here’s how it goes:
Oh I am a Dundee weaver and I come fray’ bonny Dundee
I met a Glasgy’ fairlay and teachin’ courting me
He took me ou’ to walking dun by the Calvin Ha’
And there the Dundee be rascal sto’
I thinkin’ me jig awa’
There the Dundee be rascal sto’
Me thinkin’ me jig awa’
He took me ou’ to walking dun by the rocking glen
He show to me the bonny wi’ bought
And he showed me the bonny wi’ had
He show to me the bonny wi’ bought
Fray linen tay a co’
And he showed to me the bob that sho’
That thinkin’ me jig awa’
He showed to me the bob that sho’
That thinkin’ me jig awa’
Do I’ll gang back to Dundee locking bonny all in fair
I’ll put on me buckle and shoe and tie up my bonny bloom hair
I’ll put on the corset tight to mak’ my bonny look small
And wa’ ma’ canning me rosy chicks
I thinking me jigs awa’
And wa’ ma’ canning me rosy chicks
I thinkin’ me jigs awa’
O’ all you Dundee weavers tak’ this advise frae me
Never let a fairlay an inch abov’ your knee
Never stond’ the back of ye’ clothes or up again’ the wa’
For if you’ di’ can safely say
I thinkin’ me jigs awa’
For if you’ di’ can safely say
I thinkin’ me jigs awa’
Oh yes: I know the policy is “no lyrics” because of copyright issues. But to the best of my knowledge it’s a popular song. If the moderators think it’s still a problem, please delete the post and accept my apologies.
I’m not an expert on this, but I think I can help. First we’ll get the lyrics as provided in a thread on the Mudcat (folk and blues music site) - http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=15632#142025 . I’ll translate the best I can line by line.
Oh ‘am a Dundee Weaver and a’ come frae bonnie Dundee
-I’m a Dundee weaver and I come from bonny (pretty) Dundee
A’ met a Glesga fella and he cam’ courtin’ me
-I met a Glasgow fellow and he came courting me
He took me oot a walkin’ doon by the Kelvin Ha’
-He took me out a-walking down by the Kelvin Hall*
And there the dirty wee rascall stole ma thingamyjig awa (repeat)
-and the the dirty wee (small) rascal stole my thingamajig (maidenhead, hymen, virginity) away
He took me doon the Broomielaw and by the Rouken Glen
-He took me down the Broomielaw and by the Rouken Glen**
He showed tae me a bonny wee bird and he showed me a bonnie wee hen
-“tae” = to
He showed tae me a bonnie wee bird frae a Lynnett tae a Craw
-…from a linnet to a crow
And then he showed me the bird that stole ma thingamyjig awa (repeat)
-[said bird being his, you know…]
Noo I’ll go back tae Dundee lookin’ bonny brisk and fair
-“noo” = now
I’ll put on ma bucklin’ shoes and tie up ma bonny broon hair
-“broon” = brown
I’ll put on ma corset tight tae mak ma body look sma’
-I’ll put on my corset tight to make my body look small [hide her pregnancy]
And wha wid ken wi’ ma rosy cheeks ma thingamyjigs awa (repeat)
-and who would know with my rosy cheeks my thingamajig’s away
Noo a’ ye Dundee weavers tak’ this advice frae me
And never let a Glesga lad an inch above yer knee
Never stan’ at the back o’ a close or up against a wa’
-“close” = small enclosed space
For if ye dae ye can surely say yer thingamyjigs awa (repeat)
*The Kelvin Hall is a Glasgow auditorium.
**Rouken Glen is a secluded walk in Kelvingrove Park.
As with any folk song, there are a number of variations, a word or line different here and there. Some of the difficulty is Scottish dialect (“gang” = go), some of it is sorting throught the singer’s accent (what you had as wi’ bought is apparently “wee bird.”