The Bonnie Wee Shirt

Duncan MacRae, Coaltown of Balgonie, Fife: On Autumn Harvest ah011: Old Songs & Bothy Ballads 8: The Little Ball of Yarn Live from the Fife Traditional Singing Festival May 2011.

A music hall song attributed to Harry Wincott (1867-1947), one of the world's best known music hall comic song writers, born Alfred James Walden in Camberwell, London. An American recording by Bradley Kincaid on the Bluebird label in 1933 contributed to its popularity. Kincaid, in his biography maintains that he learned this song from other musicians on the National Barn Dance broadcast by WLS-AM in Chicago, Illinois starting in 1924 - one of the first American country music radio programs and a direct precursor of the Grand Ole Opry. However, the text here diverges from the well known texts after the first few lines - so perhaps was recomposed for the Scottish music hall.

1: I remember weel the day that I was born,
It wis on a cauld and frosty winter's morn;
I wis lying in ma bed wi nothin on,
For ma mither left the blanket in the pawn.
Oh ma mother said, "I canna leave him nakit,
I'll need tae get him something, can't ye see?"
Aye, and there wis me a-lying lookin glaikit,
In the bonnie wee shirt ma mither made for me.
In the bonnie wee shirt ma mither made for me.

2: I remember weel when I wis only three,
Oh ma mammie held a pairty for ma tea;
Oh she made for me some dumplin and a cake,
For oh! how ma mammie she could bake.
The bairns fae aa aroond were aa invited,
The lassies were as bonnie as could be;
Aye, and there wis me sittin fair excited,
In the bonnie wee shirt ma mither made for me.
In the bonnie wee shirt ma mither made for me.

3: I remember weel ma summer holidays,
Oot across the briny ocean I did gaze,
Oh the sea it was so calm and oh so bright
Tae go and hae a swim it just seemed right.
Aa the lassies on the beach were at me starin,
And some were takin pictures, I could see,
'Twas a jolly guid job for me that I was wearin,
The bonnie wee shirt ma mither made for me.
Aye, the bonnie wee shirt ma mither made for me.

4: Aye, well noo I'm twenty one and I'm a man,
An I'm gonnae mairry Bonnie Jean McCann,
I'll be happy on the day she takes her vow,
Aye, an when I think of it I can see her now.
As she walks doun the aisle she'll never falter,
She'll be like a fairy on the Christmas tree,
Aye, an there will I be standin at the alter,
In the bonnie wee shirt ma mither made for me.
In the bonnie wee shirt ma mither made for me.