Traditional Scottish Songs
- Coulters Candy

The "Coulter" in this song was Robert Coltart (Coulter) who sold his "candy" (sweeties in Scottish parlance) round the houses. His song would alert the children to beg for pennies from their parents to buy his wares (a bit like the music played by ice-cream vans going round the streets). There is no "translation" for the first line as it is just a meaningless set of words for a song meant for children.


Coulters Candy

Ally, bally, ally bally bee,
Sittin' on yer mammy's knee
Greetin' for anither bawbee,
Tae buy mair Coulter's candy.

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 me ma thrifty doon
Here's auld Coulter comin' roon
Wi' a basket on his croon
Selling Coulter's Candy.

Little Annie's greetin' tae
Sae whit can puir wee Mammy dae
But gie them a penny atween them twae
Tae buy mair Coulter's Candy.

Poor wee Jeannie's lookin' affa thin,
A rickle o' banes covered ower wi' skin,
Noo she's gettin' a double chin
Wi' sookin' Coulter's Candy.

Meaning of unusual words:
bawbee=Once a silver six penny coin, in the days of Scottish coinage, now only a half-pennny.
rickle=heap

Return to the Index of Traditional Scottish Songs



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