- Coulter's Candy
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Coulter's Candy, also known as Ally Bally or Ally Bally Bee, is a Scottish folk song, originating from Galashiels in the Scottish Borders.
It was written by Robert Coltard (died 1890) as an advertising jingle for an aniseed-flavoured sweet, manufactured in Melrose. The recipe is no longer known, but the song lived on. In 1958 a letter to The Weekly Scotsman reported that a man remembered hearing it from his grandmother, who in turn had learned the song in around 1845. It was collected in a children's playground in 1964 by James T. Ritche, who published it in a book called The Singing Street.
However, Norman Buchan published it earlier in "101 Scottish Songs", Collins, 1962. He states there: "This song probably produced more correspondence than any other when I printed it in 'The Weekly Scotsman' a few years ago. Robert Coultart - the 'Coulter' of the song - made and sold his own candy round all the country fairs and markets in the Borders..............etc. I first heard it from Scots actor, playwright and folk singer Roddy McMillan." He also added one of the verses.
The word bawbee refers to a halfpenny coin.
Coulters Candy is now being manufactured by Scottish Company Ally Bally Bees Ltd. Based on an old family recipe that was passed down from generation to generation, it found it way to Dundee where it resided in a hand written cookbook from the early 1950's until it was rediscovered in 2009. It is made in the original boiled form as well as a more modern 'Fudge' & 'Toffee'.
The Coulters Candy is made by hand in gas fired copper pans and presented in stripped brown paper bags to maintain it's heritage.
Lyrics
Ally bally, ally bally bee,
Sittin' on yer mammy's knee,
Greetin' for a wee bawbee, (crying) (a halfpenny)
Tae buy mair Coulter's candy. (to) (more)
My yir legs are affa thin, (awfully)
A couple o' banes covered ower wi' skin, (bones) (over)
Noo yir gettin' a wee double chin, (now)
Wi' sookin' Coulter's Candy. (sucking)
Ally bally, ally bally bee,
When you grow up you'll go to sea,
Makin' pennies for your daddy and me,
Tae buy mair Coulter's Candy.
Mammy gie's ma thrifty doon, (give) (money box) (down)
Here's auld Coulter comin' roon', (old) (around)
Wi' a basket on his croon, (with) (crown/head)
Selling Coulter's Candy.
Coulter he's a affa funny man, (very)
He mak's his candy in a pan, (makes)
Awa an greet to yer ma, (away) (cry) (your)
Tae buy some Coulters candy. (to)
Little Annie's greetin' tae,
Sae whit can puir wee Mammy dae, (so) (what) (poor) (do)
But gie them a penny atween them twae, (between) (two)
Tae buy mair Coulter's Candy.Covers and parodies
Robin Hall and Jimmie MacGregor sang it on their "Scottish Choice" LP, Decca ACL1065, 1961. All the verses in this version, except one, were written by Robin.
It was recorded by Donovan on "HMS Donovan" (1971). Canadian singer Catherine McKinnon also recorded a version of the song on her album "Voice Of An Angel".
Hamish Imlach recorded a parody version, where a buyer complains about the poor quality of the candy. The song was also parodied on BBC Radio Scotland, by comedy group Flying Pig Productions in their show Desperate Fishwives, who related the song to the stereotypically poor Scottish diet.
A version by Scottish Folk singer Watt Nicoll was commissioned by Allyballybees Ltd of Abington, South Lanarkshire, to promote their "Coulter's Candy" product and other confectionary. The song contained extra "New" and "Lost" verses.
Dawn Steele sang part of the song towards the end of Monarch of the Glen season 2 finale episode.External references
Categories:- Scottish folk songs
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