Origins: Coulter's Candy

Subject: Lyrics; Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Barry Finn
Date: 29 Mar 97 - 03:10 AM

A friend is trying to find the words to Coulter's Candy, it's either Scottish or Irish & he thinks the Clancy's and/or Makem may have done it way back. Thank you in advanced.

Subject: RE: Lurics; Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Allan....
Date: 29 Mar 97 - 09:24 AM

My Grandmother used to sing this to me ! Ally bally, ally bally bee, Sitting on my grannies knee, begging for a wee baw'bee, tae by some Coulter's candy. A baw'bee was a halfpenny, and the song is Scottish. I don't know the rest of the lyrics, but if anybody knows them,I would be grateful.

Subject: RE: Lurics; Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 29 Mar 97 - 03:09 PM

Surprise! It's in the database. Look for Coulter* or candy

Subject: Tune Add: COULTER'S CANDY
From: alison
Date: 04 Feb 99 - 08:09 PM

hi,

I always knew this as "Ally bally bee"......mum and dad used to sing it to us as kids.

Click to play

ABC format:

X:1
T:Coulter's candy
M:4/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
C2E2G2G2|A2A2G4|C2E2G2G2|FE3D4|C2E2G2G2|A2A2G3E|
C2E2G2E2|D4C4|C2E2G2G2|AGFAG4|CE2G3G2|FE3D4|
C2E2G3G|A2A2G3E|C2E2G2E2|D4C4||

Subject: Lyr Add: COULTER'S CANDY (plainer English version)
From: BK
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 09:36 PM

I got a message requesting the plainer language version of "Coulter's Candy" I'd mentioned in a past thread. Then was told about putting line break commands... Sooooo, I stuck line breaks (I think that's what they are called; know NOTHING about HTML) on the ends of the lines & spaces of the words on my hard drive WP file, copied the whole schmear to the clipboard, & I'll paste them here. Hope it works... Cheers, BK

(hope it doesn't have a million little "br's" in it. I think it came from an album by the "Kerries?"

COULTER'S CANDY (plainer English version)

CH
Allee Ballee, Allee Ballee Bee,
sittin' on yer Mammie's Knee
Weepin' for another bawbee
'ta buy some Coulter's candy

Here comes Coulter down the street,
sweatin' in the summer heat
all the children 'round his feet
cryin' for Coulter's candy

Poor wee Jean was a-lookin' mighty thin,
just a bag of bones covered over with skin
now she 's sportin a wee double chin
from eatin' Coulter's candy

Now (wee) brother Johnny's cryin' too
so what can a poor wee mommy do
but give them another penny or two
ta' buy some Coulter's candy

You know when Robbie comes around
you'll hear him singing his well-known song
come buy my candy and grow up strong
come buy my Coulter's candy


Another verse from an Australian friend:

Now the days are short and the nights are cold
an' we're all sittin' on the Dole
but there's still another penny in the sugar bowl
ta buy some Coulter's candy.

This version is a lot easier for me to sing, & American audiences to comprehend. We get a lot of compliments on it.

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From:
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 03:31 PM

Whilst researching the attributes of Candy freezers i was amazed to discover your website and the words to COULTERS CANDY, a song which has been sung by three generations of our family.I was most interested to discover the full version,having previously only ever heard the first verse. John Airdrie,SCOTLAND

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From: Metchosin
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 03:49 PM

John, if you type Coulter's in the digitrad lyrics search box on the fourm page you will come up with two versions with all the lyrics.

We were taught this song by my Grandmother, but perhaps she came to Canada before the Coulter's version came into being, because there is no reference to the brand name in her song. In place of "Coulter's candy" we just sing "sugar candy". Also, she sang Owa Dowa, Owa Dowa Dee in place of Ally Bally Bee.

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 06:12 PM

Try this link as well: Coulter's Candy

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 06:34 PM

Sorry, it takes you to yet another set of words. For the notes, click on 'English notes' at the top of the page.

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 09:56 PM

I guess in this UK?Scots? whatever, it is sugar candy, but I know what Coulter's Candy is in the US, and I'll bet Bill in Alabama does too-------buffalo (bison) guts. Gross! There was this mountain man contest, where they pulled the guts out, and 2 men started swallowing, each at one end. The contest involved swallowing and pulling out what the other guy swallowed......first one to swallow it all won.........yuck, yuck.

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From:
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 11:51 PM

From what I gather, the Coulter's Candy comes from the "border" areas between Scotland and England. Coulter was the traveller who sold his candy out of his wagon directly to the kids.

I learned the song from Patrick Crilly, an oil engineer who was in Halifax for about 10 months a few years ago. It's an excellent song, with many many verses.

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From: GUEST,Patrick Crilly
Date: 21 Jan 02 - 07:41 PM

Hi George...I'm still singing regards to all who know me Patrick

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 22 Jan 02 - 12:55 AM

I have always [ I could be wrong!] introduced this as a Dumfries street-song. I sing a "Canadianised" version for the kids over here. The "bawbee" becomes a penny, the "thrifty" becomes a piggy-bank etc..

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From: GUEST,swirlygirl
Date: 22 Jan 02 - 04:53 AM

Oh my mum used to sing this to me all the time when I was wee!!

:)

xxx

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 22 Jan 02 - 06:46 AM

Ewan McVicar sang this song at my school when he visited and had a detailed story about Mr. Coulter who was a historic figure. So there's a Scots version of the song with a bit of historical backing! I don't have the details here but can look for them if needed. A Google search on "Coulter's Candy" gets about 227 hits!

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 22 Jan 02 - 10:10 AM

Robert Coultart sold candy in the streets of Galashields and all the Border towns. He made it on his fire - I've stood in the room. He died in 1880, of a benign tumour, which seems to explain his eccentric character. The candy was hard and flavoured with aniseed. I've identified some ten verses in all, some made by him, some added by singers along the way.
My guess is that the song was originally Sugar Candy till Coultard turned it into an early advertising jingle. The tune has all kinds of interesting relatives. I wrote a whole chapter about this song and the others it links to [one is Johnnie Todd] in a book that I'm still pressing upon reluctant publishers.
Hi Animaterra!

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 22 Jan 02 - 10:50 PM

Aye, Ewan---I've noted that Johnny Todd and Coulter's Candy melodies are very close.

Subject: RE: Lurics; Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Fiona
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 06:34 AM

We had slightly different verses to the ones in the threads above. The burroo is the dole.


Poor wee soul, you're looking awfay thin,
A skittle o' bones covered ower wi' skin,
But soon you'll be gettin' a wee double chin
Wi' eatin' Coulters candy

Livin's awfay hard the noo,
Faithers signin' oan the buroo,
But Mammys saved a penny for you,
Tae buy some Coulters candy

Subject: RE: Lurics; Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Jim McLean
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 12:51 PM

It's a 'rickle' o' bones.

Subject: RE: Lurics; Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Barb'ry
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 05:43 PM

I sing the version from the North East of England - pretty similar really. Apparently there are versions of it sung all along the north east coast of Britain.

Subject: RE: Lurics; Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: alison
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 06:52 PM

my gran used to sing it to me in Ireland too

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Lurics; Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: GUEST,Anne Croucher
Date: 17 Dec 03 - 07:46 PM

Another verse

Come my boy my fine wee man
Run down the road, fast as you can
Pay the money to the sweetie man
For a bag of Coulter's Candy

I first hear the song with just three verses in The Railway, Fratton Southsea Hants back in the early 70s. It was the mammy's knee, wee Jeannie (rickle of bone) and Little Annie's greetin too verses.

I have the name Robert Coltart written by it but what the connection is I do not know.

Anne

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Metchosin
Date: 18 Dec 03 - 01:47 AM

My old Granny from Scotland (came to Canada late 1800's, early 1900's) used to sing this for us too, but she never sang "Coulter's" candy, just sugar candy.

Her version:

Owa Dowa, Owa Dowa Dee
Sitting on her mamies knee
Greetin' fur a bonnie bawbee
Tae buy a sugar candy

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 18 Dec 03 - 03:48 AM

On an older thread I gave details of Robert Coultart of Galashiels, his one room sweetie factory cum kitchen, and his 1870s advertising jingle, which I think was based on the older Sugar Candy rhyme.

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: vectis
Date: 18 Dec 03 - 08:47 AM

Puckle (bag) of bones.

Ma, hand me my thrifty doon
Here's old Coulter coming to toon
Wi' his basket on his croon
Selling Coulter's candy

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 18 Dec 03 - 02:14 PM

Does anybody have the words to Ronnie Browne's parody of the song ?

I can only remember the first verse in it's entirety....

Ally Bally ally bally bee
Scotland is the place for me
Even though it's awfy wee
I think it's fine and dandy

One of the other verses goes something like

Land of something something something
Land o' soup(?) and tasty stews
Wi' men dressed up in tartan trews
To stop their legs going bandy

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 18 Dec 03 - 04:46 PM

Murray, where's the parody in that? It just seems to be a different set of silly lyrics.
I've tried to collect verses and info on Coulter's Candy in My Songbook

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 18 Dec 03 - 05:07 PM

I suppose you are right Susanne, it's not really a parody, but it is faintly risible nonetheless, being a gentle poke at "Scottishness".

Did the Corries ever record it? You of all people should know ...

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Jim McLean
Date: 18 Dec 03 - 07:52 PM

Vectis, there's no such word as 'puckle' meaning a bag. The phrase 'a rickle o' banes' is common.

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 18 Dec 03 - 09:16 PM

PUCKLE
A word denoting approximate measurement, puckle can mean any imprecise amount. A homespun recipe for fruit cake might include "a puckle raisins." When you need to guess a quantity, this is a handy word to use!

From the Scots Magazine ...

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Jim McLean
Date: 19 Dec 03 - 04:41 AM

Precisely, Murray, or should I say imprecisely? The Concise Scots Dictionary gives one definition similar to your quote. It nearly always meant 'a small particle, or grain of salt, grain etc.' and is cognate with 'pickle'. The use of 'Puckle' it says, is now usually confined to The Shetlands.
Jim

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Dec 03 - 02:43 PM

irish rovers recorded it i believe on thier "first of the irish rovers album

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 19 Dec 03 - 07:45 PM

Murray, I haven't got any recording of 'CC' with any words from the Corries, but then, I've only got half a dozen of their albums ... If you're really interested I'll ask Ronnie's son and merchandise manager, Gavin.

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: GUEST,Jean Davidson
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 11:54 PM

A lady told me once that she had been taught to measure a puckle of something by holding it in her closed hand. A puckle was the amount you could hold without it falling out. She was of Scottish descent.(My maiden name was Puckle)

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Tam the Bam (Nutter)
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 05:15 AM

Robin Hall and Jimmie McGregor recoreded it on an album (name from the past) called Scottish Choice. I sing rickle, but who really care Rickle/puckle it's only a word.

Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy
From: GUEST,Christine
Date: 15 Nov 05 - 05:48 PM

I have a memoir from my great grandmother where she gives a description of the man who sang this song at the railway station as she travelled to Galashields. She described him thus: "At the railway station a man called Coulter met the trains. He was a peculiar man, wore a number of waistcoats and sold candy and sang this song as he walked along the platform: ally bally, ally bally bee...etc
she then gives three verses of the song...


Christine Lynch, Nova Scotia, Canada

Subject: Chord Req: coulter's candy
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Mar 06 - 05:48 PM

ive searched in here but didnt see any chords/tabs of this song...ive heard many different versions so i would love to see different ways to play this great song...

thanks

Subject: RE: Chord Req: coulter's candy
From: michaelr
Date: 19 Mar 06 - 11:49 PM

jeez, there's only 3 chords to it... do a little bit of work yourself!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: GUEST,Brian Farley, Glasgow
Date: 05 Sep 08 - 06:38 PM

If you search WIKIPEDIA, using "Coulters Candy" without the aposterphe, you'll get the history. Scottish candymaker/seller Robert Coultart, the "Coulter" of the song, [1890s] wrote it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 05 Sep 08 - 10:11 PM

Yes. That information was provided by Ewan McVicar six years ago, in another discussion here on the subject (see links above: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy). Thanks for mentioning it.

Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 02:40 AM

Not much in the Traditional Ballad Index on this song, but I think it's worth posting:

Coulter's Candy

DESCRIPTION: "Ally, bally, ally bally bee, Sittin' on yer mammy's knee, Greetin' for anither bawbee, Tae buy mair Coulter's candy." The parents feed the slender boy on candy, say he will grow up to go to sea, or will later buy candy for them
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1948 (Montgomerie)
KEYWORDS: mother father food
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Montgomerie-ScottishNR 154, "Colter's Candy" (1 short text)
DT, COULTR COULTR2
ADDITIONAL: _Sing Out_ magazine, Volume 32, #4 (1987), pp, 84, "Coulter's Candy" (1 text, 1 tune, supplied by Sam Hinton and with some unusual verses)
NOTES [121 words]: Murray Shoolbraid's notes in the Digital Tradition cite Buchan to the effect that "Coulter" was in fact a Scottish candy-seller named Robert Coltart who was active around 1900. Ewan McVicar reported on the Ballad-L mailing list that "Coulter's Candy was made and sold by Robert Coltart, a weaver in Galashiels. He stamped his name on every piece and flavoured it with aniseed. He sold it all round the Borders fairs, attracting customers by playing his tune on his penny?whistle and singing out?his song. An early advertising jingle. He died in 1880?aged 48." This is the most substantial description I've seen of who Coulter/Colter was -- but I've heard performers cite other sources. So I suppose it's not quite proved. - RBW
Last updated in version 3.3
File: MSNR154

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Take note of these instances of the song that are listed in Roud #19019.

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Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Jim McLean
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 04:02 AM

Joe 'the slender boy' is usually called Jean in all the versions I've heard.

Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: BobKnight
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 06:48 AM

Academics are full of shit. "Puckle" is NOT confined to the Shetlands - it's still in common use in the Abedeenshire area, and no doubt further afield too.

Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Big Tim
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 09:17 AM

Ewan MacVicar devotes 9 pages to this song in his book 'Doh Ray Me, When Ah Wis Wee: Scots children's song and rhymes' (Birlinn, 2007).

Here comes Coulter doon the street,
A big lum hat upon his heid,
He's been roon aboot aa the toon,
Singin and sellin candy. !

PS I wonder if Coulter was of the same family as David Coulthard, the F1 driver: similar name, Borders area?

Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: GUEST
Date: 07 May 10 - 04:17 PM

A thousand years ago - when I was a lad growing up in Newcastle, I heard a version with this as the chorus:

Ally bally, ally bally bee
Baby's high on LSD
Looks like sugar but it's not for tea
Selling Coulter's Candy

There was a verse about selling it through the neighbourhood ice cream van that came around

Does anyone know anything of this warped version and who sang it and what the rest of the lyrics are?

Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 17 Jul 11 - 04:09 PM

"Puckle" is NOT confined to the Shetlands - it's still in common use in the Abedeenshire area, and no doubt further afield too

A very common everyday word in the Scottish Borders too. Was over the border in Carlisle when I was a teenager and was buying a doner kebab. The guy asked me if I wanted chilli sauce. "a wee puckle please" I said. He looked at me in a puzzled way and replied "sorry we have no pickle just chilli sauce". I honestly had no idea at the time that the word wasn't common to England as well :-)

Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 17 Jul 11 - 04:14 PM

"From what I gather, the Coulter's Candy comes from the "border" areas between Scotland and England"

I know this an old post but I couldn't help giggling thinking of what the reaction would be should George go into a pub in Hawick or Jedburgh etc and tell the locals "no this is not Scotland - this is an area between Scotland and England" The border areas of England and Scotland is a safer term to use :-)

Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 17 Jul 11 - 05:03 PM

He may be a distant relation of mine!

We hail fae Fife and The Lothians

Chris Coulter

Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)
From: Jack Campin
Date: 29 Jan 19 - 08:05 AM

Statue of Coulter planned

Subject: RE: Origins: Coulter's Candy
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Oct 23 - 11:43 AM

robert gorberg of galashiels of the borders rote this song for advertising this chocolate for a jingle there was no such thing as recording songs but when the song came more remembered was when in 1956 this jingle was sung by roddy macmilan ho recorded a lot of children's songs and bbc programs for children. in his recording he sings two verses that were written by him the first was written in 1852. my friend martin was not happy when ronny brown sed of the passing away of roy williamson in that year trip to the royal blind school ronny brown talked about the song and sung others. the advert jingle had ten verses but i do not no ho wrote all of them a pam 1 and 2 and 3. i do think brown might have written at least 3 other verses but not 1 2 or the third a lady who taut me the guitar at school many years ago was working for the old folks had sed that we did a song about her being 160 using the same tune with 6 verses in 1997 i learned the song on my guitar but could not get the right cords. martin my friend rote the first verse and more and made it in to a new song set to the same tune of the folk song worth other words written by one of her family. from joe