The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #35677   Message #4222483
Posted By: GUEST,Kevin W. aka Reynard the Fox on Youtube
13-May-25 - 08:46 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: A Gob is a Slob, Wherever He May Be
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A Gob is a Slob, Wherever He May Be
I forgot to mention it yesterday. In the recording Dorman Ralph says he learned it from a man named Henry Camden from Jackson's Arm, Newfoundland in 1943.

I can also add the following Scottish text which was sung by Doris Rougvie at a Traditional Music and Song Association Kirriemuir Folk Festival Singing Competition in Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland. Recorded by Dr. Margaret Bennett in 1985.

The recording can be listened to here:
https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/91852?l=en

Transcription as follows:

Well, I went tae a dance like a decent lady would,
He asked me hie tae dance, now the auld roguie did,
But I'll gie him roguie if he tries tae roguie me,
And I'll tell you by and by what the rogue he did tae me.

Well, I went fae the dance like a decent lady would,
He followed me fae the dance, now the auld roguie did,
But I'll gie him roguie...

Well, I went in the house like a decent lady would,
He followed me in the house, now the auld roguie did,
But I'll gie him roguie...

Well, I went up the stairs like a decent lady would,
He followed me up the stairs, now the auld roguie did,
But I'll gie him roguie...

Well, I took off me ...[*] like a decent lady would,
And he took off his trousers, now the auld roguie did,
But I'll gie him roguie...

Well, I took off me skirt like a decent lady would,
And he took off his shirt, now the auld roguie did,
But I'll gie him roguie...

Well, I took off me slip like a decent lady would,
And he took off his socks, now the auld roguie did,
But I'll gie him roguie...

Well, I climbed intae bed like a decent lady would,
And he climbed in beside me, now the auld roguie did,
And I gied him roguie when he tried tae roguie me,
And ye aa' ken yersel' what the roguie did tae me.

[*] There's one unfamiliar word here, perhaps someone can help me. I'm not a native English speaker, let alone Scots, I couldn't get that word.

The tune of this version is nearly the same as Dorman Ralph's above. There's no information on where Doris Rougvie learned it. At first I assumed it was a cover of Lizzie Higgins' traditional Aberdeenshire version, but text and tune are different enough to be worth posting here. I never heard the opening verse about the dance before, and Lizzie didn't sing the verses about taking off various clothing items.

For comparison, here's Lizzie Higgins' text again which she learned from her mother Jeannie Robertson:

I walked on the street
Like a decent woman should dae1
Fan the aul roguie follyd me,
The aul roguie Grey,
An I'll tell yez by and by
Fat the roguie done to me.

I went up the stairs
Like a decent woman should dae,
Fan the aul roguie followed me,
The aul roguie Grey,
An I'll tell yez by and by
at the roguie done to me.

I gaed intae ma bed l
Lke a decent woman should dae,
Fan the aul roguie followed me,
The aul roguie Grey,
An I'll tell yez by and by
Fat the roguie done to me

Aa nicht he slept ben me,
The aul roguie grey,
Aa nicht he slept ben me,
The dirty roguie Grey,
An I'll tell yez by and by
Fat the roguie done to me.

Nine months has passed,
I'd a bairnie on my knee,
Nine months has passed
And the roguie's merried me,
And the end of ma tale aboot
The aul roguie Grey.

Lizzie's version can be heard here:
https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/82139?l=en
And a slightly later recording here:
https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/81955?l=en

And finally, here's another short traditional text "The Body He Cam Wi Me", as sung by James Laurenson of Fetlar, Shetland. Recorded by John Graham in 1959.

It can be listened to here:
https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/98440?l=en

Song transcription as follows:

I gied tae the well an the body he cam wi me
An then I never kent what the body wanted o me.

I gied tae the stack an the body he cam wi me
An yet I never kent what the body wanted o me.

I gied tae the byre an the body he cam wi me
An then I never kent what the body wanted o me.

I gied tae me bed an the body he cam wi me
An then I cam tae ken what the body wanted o me.