Whistle O'er the Lave O't

Jo Miller: On Autumn Harvest ah08: Old Songs & Bothy Ballads: There's Bound to be a Row. Recorded at the Fife Traditional Singing Festival May 2009.

A medley of three short mouth music songs from Shetland. Whistle o'er the Lave O't was collected from Andrew Poleson of Whalsay by Peter Cooke of the School of Scottish Studies. The Broun Coo is from the Tom Anderson/ Pam Swing book of Shetland fiddle tunes 'Haand me doon da Fiddle' published by the University of Stirling (1979).

Whistle O'er the Lave O't

1: My mither sent me tae the sea,
For tae gaither mussels three;
A sailor lad fell in wi me,
An whistle o'er the lave o't.
Ma mither sent me tae the well,
Better she had gaen hersel;
The bottom o the daffock fell,
So whistle o'er the lave o't.

2: Ma mither sent me tae the shop,
For tae buy a bar o soap;
I spent the bob and ate the lot,
An whistle o'er the lave o't.
Ma mither sent me tae the moss,
For tae gaither peats an dross;
I cowped the cairt an hanged the horse,
An whistle o'er the lave o't.

daffock - wooden pail

Jenny Nettles

1: Saw ye ma Jenny,
Jenny nettles, Jenny nettles,
Saw ye ma Jenny,
Goin tae the market.

and repeat

2: Peck o meal upon her back,
A peck o meal upon her back,
Peck o meal upon her back,
A baby in her basket.

and repeat

The Broun Coo

1: The broun coo's broken oot an eaten aa the corn,
The broun coo's broken oot an eaten aa the corn,
The broun coo's broken oot an eaten aa the corn,
If someone disnae stop her there'll be nothin left da morn.

2: So go du in ma peerie boy an grab her be the tether,
So go du in ma peerie boy an grab her be the tether,
So go du in ma peerie boy an grab her be the tether,
For du's a peerie supple ting no like de aald din faider.

du - you; peerie - little; ting - thing;
aald - old; done - worn out; faider - father.

c p 2010 Autumn Harvest : www.springthyme.co.uk