COLLIER LADDIE



I've traveled east and I've traveled west

And I've traveled pure Kirkaldy,

But the bonniest lass that e'er I spied

She was followin' her collier laddie.



cho: Laddie, O, laddie

But the bonniest lass that e'er I spied

She was followin' her collier laddie.

(final 2 lines of chorus change with verse.)



"O whaur live ye my bonnie lass?

Come tell me what they ca' ye. "

"Bonnie Jean Gordon is my name,

And I'm followin' a collier laddie."



cho:



"O would ye fancy ane that's black

And you sae fair and gaudy?

O fancy ane o' higher degree,

Than followin' a collier laddie."



cho:



"Ye see yon hills the sun shines on,

The sun shines on sae gaudy ;

They a' are mine and they shall be thine,

Gin ye'll leave your collier laddie. "



cho:



"Though ye had a' the sun shines on,

And the earth conceals sae lowly,

l wad turn my back on you and it a'

And follow my collier laddie."



cho:

Then he has gane to her faither dear,

To her faither gane sae brawly ;

Says: "Will ye gie me your bonnie, bonnie lass

That's followin' a collier laddie?"



cho:



"O would she marry a man that's black,

And me sea braw and gaudy?

I'll raise her up to a higher degree

Than followin' a collier laddie."



cho:



Her faither then he vowed and swore:

"Though he be black he's bonnie;

She's mair delight in him, I fear,

Than in you wi' a' your money."



cho:

"O, I can win my five pennies a day,

And spend't at nicht fu' brawly,

And I'll mak' my bed in the collier's neuk

And lie doon wi' my collier laddie."



cho:



"Love for love is the bargain for me,

Though the wee cot-hoose should haud me,

And the world before me to win my breid,

And fare for my collier laddie."



cho:



From Songs and Dances of Scotland, Thomson

Note: this, plus the first version ( COLLAD ), go together to make

a fairly complete picture. See also FACTGIRL , for a

similar bit of lower-class snobbishness.

@mine @love @Scots

filename[ COLLAD2

play.exe COLLAD2

RG

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