THE SPINNER'S WEDDING

(Words and music by Mary Brooksbank)

The gaffer's looking worried,
The flett's a' in a steer,
Jessie Brodie's getting mairit
An' the morn she'll no be here,

Ha Ray a row, a daddy O,
Ha ray a row, with a daddy O,
Ha Ray a row, a daddy O,
Jessie's gettin' mairit O.

The helper and the piecer
Went doon the toon last nicht,
Tae buy their wee bit present,
Jist tae mak her hame look bricht.

They bocht a chiny tea set,
A chanty fu o' saut,
A bonnie coloured carpet,
A kettle an' a pot.

The shifters they're a-dancin,
The spinners singin tae,
The gaffer's standin watchin,
But there's nothin he can dae.

Here's best wishes tae ye lassies,
Standin at yer spinnin frame,
May ye aye hae full an' plenty,
In yer wee bit hame.

Ye'll no mak muckle siller,
Nae matter hoo ye try,
But hoard ye love an' loyalty,
That's what money canna buy.


Nigel Gatherer, Songs and Ballads of Dundee, John Donald, Edinburgh 1985, pp. 89-90.

Noted by Maurice Fleming from Mary Brooksbank.


X:1
T:The Spinner's Wedding
N:(First verse and chorus)
C:Mary Brooksbank
Z:Noted by Maurice Fleming
B:Nigel Gatherer, Songs and Ballads of Dundee, John Donald, Edinburgh 1985, pp. 89-90.
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
M:6/8
K:G
D|G2 G G B2|D D2-D2 E|G2 F G2 A|B3
w:The gaf-fer's look-ing wor-ried,_ The flett's a' in a steer,
A2 B|c2 B c2 e|d2 B A2 G|A2 B A2 G|E2
w:Jes-sie Bro-die's get-ting mai-rit An' the morn she'll no be here.
A B2 c|d6-|d2 d e2 d|c6-|c2 d d2 B|
w:Ha Ray a row,_ a dad-dy O,_ Ha ray a
M:9/8
G6-GAB|A2 D D3-D2 E|
w:row,_ with a dad-dy O,_ Ha
M:6/8
G2 F G2 G|
w:Ray a row, a
M:9/8
A2 B c3-c3|
w:dad-dy O,_
M:6/8
d2 A A2 c|
w:Jes-sie's get-tin'
M:9/8
B2 A G3-G2|]
w:mai-rit O._

X:2
T:The Spinner's Wedding
N:(Second and subsequent verses)
C:Mary Brooksbank
Z:Noted by Maurice Fleming
B:Nigel Gatherer, Songs and Ballads of Dundee, John Donald, Edinburgh 1985, pp. 89-90.
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
M:6/8
K:G
G|D2 D D2 E|(D2 C) B,2 D|G2 F G2 A|G3
w:The help-er and the piec-*er Went doon the toon last nicht,
(F2 G)|A2 A A2 B|A2 G F2 G|A2 G F2 E|D2
w:Tae_ buy their wee bit pres-ent, jist tae mak her hame look bricht.


Mary Brooksbank's tune and phrasing are the ones I'm familiar with. Ray Fisher sang Mary's song very differently. Notation from her singing is also included.


X:3
T:The Spinner's Wedding
C:Mary Brooksbank
Z:Noted by Maurice Fleming
B:Nigel Gatherer, Songs and Ballads of Dundee, John Donald, Edinburgh 1985, pp. 89-90.
N:Tune as sung by Ray Fisher.
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
M:6/8
K:C
C|E2 E E2 D|C2 C C2 E|G2 G G2 E|
w:The gaf-fer's look-ing wor-*ried, The flett's a' in a steer,
G3 E2 E|E2 E E2 D|C2 C C2 E|A2 A A2 E|
w:Jes-sie Bro-die's get-ting mai-rit An' the morn she'll no be
A3-A2 E|A2 B c2 A|B2 B B2 E|A2 B c2 B|A2 G E2 E|
w:here. Ha_ Ray a row, a dad-dy O, Ha ray a row, a dad-dy O, Ha
A2 B c2 A|B2 B B3|A2 c B2 d|c2 c c2|]
w:Ray a row, a dad-dy O, Jes-sie's get-tin' mai-rit O.