Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Fergie
Date: 06 Apr 01 - 09:38 PM

I repeat my assertion that a curly pow is in fact a hairy chest, not a penis.

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,a collector of strange facts
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 10:35 PM

simple and easy, and from a reliable sorce ("my song is my own, edited by Kathy Henderson, et al, a wonderful song book, I recomend it highly):

Oh leaze me on your curly pow= I much adore your curly hair

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 11:44 PM

G'day GUEST, a collector ...

" ... adore your (short & curly) curly hair ...?

The whole art of double entendre is in what else the words can mean or suggest.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Big Tim
Date: 26 Jun 01 - 03:39 AM

Please; no more curly pow!

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Snuffy
Date: 26 Jun 01 - 09:03 AM

Spaw, When I saw this thread title back int the lists, I immediately thought how pleased you'd be to see an old friend pop up again. D'ya want me to revive the Goosie Goo thread as well?

Wassail! V

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 Aug 01 - 10:05 PM

I just acquired a copy of Argo's Lyrica Erotica, Part 2. Now I know where to go to get an explanation/translation. Anyone got a spare curly pow, I can rest my head on?

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Aug 01 - 10:08 PM

Thanks Sins......thanks a lot.........and you too Wolfie............

Spaw

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 02:46 AM

Finbar and Eddie once assured me [Hexham, circa 1965!]that the clergy in Ireland were dead against their singing of 'Dainty Davie" as the term "curly pow" was considered obscene! I gained the impression that the lads themselves were of the belief that it referred to something "naughty"; nonsense, of course---I assured them that brought up in auld Ayrshire, I heard the term many times in every-day conversation. The translation "curly head" is spot on. "Curly heidit" or "curly pow'd' were common phrases where I was reared. Boab

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 12:46 PM

A curly pow is a head of curly hair, regards.

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 01:00 AM

Just an aside---once, browsing in a public library, I came across a notation in Robert Burns' handwriting against the song "There was a Lad was born in Kyle"[an autobiographical poem]; it said, "to be sung to the tune "Dainty Davie" ". A much better melody than the tonsil-fanklin'stuff rendered by Ken McKellar et al. Try it sometime.

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 01:02 AM

Is this song done in "Songcather"???

Spaw

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,Dita (at work)
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 04:34 AM

Song is better known as "Rantin Rovin Robin" and is in DT.
love, john

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Wolfgang
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 05:24 AM

Spaw: Is this song done in "Songcather"

Though in Mudcat every seem themes to be covered in at least eleven, pardon me, ten, threads, I could find nothing about 'songcather'. However, a websearch was successful. In this site we find the following information:

Songcather ­ Drama about a music historian who visits North Carolina in the early 1900s to examine traditional Appachian Music.

Deplorably, there was no information about the songs in this film. Spaw, I advise you if you are still interested in this information to start a new thread and not to bury your question in the middle of a thread about a different topic. By the way, the film 'songcather' as far as I understand the short description seems to merit its own thread.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 05:32 AM

...not written by Willa Cather, then, 'Spaw!
RtS (no-one loves a smartass!)

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 09:07 AM

Actually "Songcather" is a medical training film detailing the a traditional method of catheterization that involves the nurse singing "Dainty Davey" to you as she threads a tube into your bladder.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Gareth
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 03:29 PM

Spaw - the thought of that makes my eyes water.

Gareth

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: SINSULL
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 10:41 PM

Does she lean on his curly pow as she snakes her way in?

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 11:25 PM

Since the number of posts has reached 69, I thought it appropriate to make one more ejaculation.

"Pow" is Scots for "hesd" it does not mean "penis", "chest" or "pubic hair" or any of the other half-baked suggestions above.

How this thread went on so long beats me .......

Murray

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 11:26 PM

Scots for "head", that is ......

Murray

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 31 Aug 01 - 01:42 AM

But everybody knows "Pow!" is really Batman for "Wham!"

Aloha,
Mark, still stuck in 1960s TV.

(And I think "Snugcatheter" just about says it all....)

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From:
Date: 12 Sep 01 - 04:52 PM

This has been an interesting read. I'd never seen the actual lyrics in print before. We were taught them at RenFaire as, "ease me on your pearly prow" Then there's the verse where he "was oft between her knees and soon gave out his gravy." It ended with...

"Had I gold or Had I land, It would all be at his command, For I'll never forget what he put in my hand, It was his Dainty Davey."

It sounded quite beautiful sung a capella in 4-part harmony. The ladies who regularly sang it got a kick out of folks saying, "Oh that was beautiful." when it was a song about a penis!

And to think I found this whole thread just because I was searching for the lyrics. ; )

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: catspaw49
Date: 12 Sep 01 - 05:00 PM

Yeah..........and gee I'm so happy you refreshed it for us..............................................

Spaw

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Sep 01 - 07:58 PM

So it really is pornography? Spaw needs a definitive answer. And I need a laugh.

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: SINSULL
Date: 13 Sep 01 - 06:35 PM

Still waiting....

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,diana
Date: 22 Aug 02 - 02:32 AM

I first heard Dainty Davey sung by Shay Walker in 1969 at Puck Fair. I, too, questioned him about the curly pow. He had no answer which probably means it has more than one meaning. Never-the-less, the tune has stayed in my mind all these years and I often hum it to myself. Its beautiful and I encourage all you musicians out there to revive it. I'm sure curly pow means curly head but it might mean, "lay your head on my lap" which according to the music, seems right to me. I also heard light brigade which is lyrical as well, maybe even metaphorical. Its a song that is timeless and seems to defy logic and reason. Its a love song pure and simple.

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Jim McLean
Date: 22 Aug 02 - 07:07 AM

In Burns's JOHN ANDERSON MY JO he says "Blessings on your frosty pow" meaning white (wintry) haired head. A friend of mine always sang this verse, ending, "Ya baldy heided bastard"!!
The other definition given for pow is pate i.e. head.
Coming from Paisley some years ago, the word pow was commonly used for head. Sadly, words my father used are no longer used by Scots. Cheers, Jim mcLean

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: catspaw49
Date: 22 Aug 02 - 08:11 AM

.....oh goodie.............

Spaw

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: SINSULL
Date: 22 Aug 02 - 05:49 PM

HMMMMM...very interesting thread. Anyone else have anything to add? Please!

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: catspaw49
Date: 22 Aug 02 - 08:56 PM

Oh you're goin' to the moon Sins.....Oh yeah......you're goin' to the moon...

Spaw

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 23 Aug 02 - 02:54 AM

Pow---Scots for head. [The word is probably "poll" in English] Finbar Fury once told me that the Irish clergy disapproved of the song because the expression "curly pow" had lewd connotation; nonsense, of course. The word was common usage in our home dialect in Ayrshire.

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 23 Aug 02 - 05:38 AM

POW?= prisoner of war

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,diana
Date: 23 Aug 02 - 04:34 PM

O.K. so a pow is some sort of head but why was davy "dainty" ???

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: SINSULL
Date: 23 Aug 02 - 09:31 PM

Yum Yum?
Sorry Spaw. I couldn't help it.

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 24 Aug 02 - 02:50 AM

A curly prisoner of war?---Aw---c'mon!!!1

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,Allan Dennehy
Date: 24 Aug 02 - 06:00 AM

I've sung Dainty Davie for a long time now and think that its one of the most beautiful songs of all time. I'm glad to know a little bit more of what I'm singing about now!

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,Gurney
Date: 25 Aug 02 - 05:16 AM

About half-way down to here there was an post by guest Julia, and that was the version I've heard most, usually sung in female voices. The songbook I consulted way back when said a 'Warlock Knowe' was Warlock Knoll(hill), and even said where it was. Wassail.

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,diana
Date: 25 Aug 02 - 12:50 PM

Thanks, Gurney. Where was this Warlock Knoll? Perhaps this is the reason the clergy did not want this song to be heard. I find it curious that Dainty Davey is always referred to as "he". When sung by a man, does he refer to Davey as "she?" I'm confused. Did Burns often write from the female perspective? One more question - Is Davey a common name in Scotland? Is it gender specific? I remember hearing, "She stole the heart of the light brigade." Maybe its very old and Burns changed it into a bawdy tale for his day and age. Seems that Davey and Devi sound alot alike.

I think this song has gone through many revisions. I wonder if anyone knows the original version or at least which version is the oldest that we know of.

Keep singing your song.

Diana

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: diana
Date: 01 Sep 02 - 05:02 PM

Have you really killed this thread? I hope not. From an anthro. perspective, this has been very interesting.

diana

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Shonagh
Date: 02 Sep 02 - 04:03 PM

I always thought curly pow was just his hairy head!! ive half looked into this one and in all my scots dictionarys it said pow was a head, or forehead and curly im just guessing is his curly hair!

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 02 Sep 02 - 07:36 PM

Just another name my mother used to call me (curly pow, I mean, not dainty Davie) as well as Tattie bogle. Sadly lost the curls by the age of 5! Davie seems to be the popular version of David in Scotland but don't know wht he was dainty! Tattie B

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From:
Date: 16 Sep 03 - 06:55 PM

I was brought up to understand that the young man was put into the maiden's bed with a "bundling board" between them. His penis being small, it fit through a knothole in the board and impregnated the girl. This was the "dainty" part! After all, it fit in her hand....

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: dbranno
Date: 16 Sep 03 - 07:56 PM

Here's another tuppence worth!
'Well-born' shentlemen didnae wear their ain hair in those days, they wore powdered wigs, elaborately curled, after the fashion of monarchs who had 'bad hair' or bad heids! Remember that washing the body wasnae verra popular in those times, and close cropped hair was less of a temptation to vermin.
As to gibberish versions...I heard someone (who'd obviously heard only the Furious bros.) sing "Heave me on your burly prow" !
Ahhhh, the Mudcat!!!! where else?
       not very dainty Davo

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: catspaw49
Date: 16 Sep 03 - 11:08 PM

.......geeziz.........

Spaw

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Gurney
Date: 17 Sep 03 - 06:23 AM

This could go on forever...

I looked up the (originally) requested words in my 'Dictionary of Archaic Words,' archaic in 1840, that is, and...

Lese = gather, collect, among other and similar meanings.
Powe = finger, claw.

Which could mean "crook your finger and I'll come" or something more personal as conjectured above.

As for Arthur McBride, Didn't they 'knock that wee drummer as flat as a shoe?'

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Sep 03 - 06:26 AM

"This could go on forever..."

Yeah Gurney, that's my greatest fear............

Spaw

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Peg
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 01:23 PM

ahem, sorry Spaw, but...I needs to know.

I have offered to perform at a conference later this month, "And Never Know the Joy": Sex and the Erotic in English Poetry." (at the University of Leiden, Netherlands). Though my topic is not Burns, I have offered to sing two Burns songs at the banquet, and this is one of them...

so my question is: should I act as though there is bawdy, secret meaning to these words? Or no?

I see it as a sensual love song. I always assumed "dainty" referred to one of two things: his petite shape, i.e. small hands, etc. or the fact that he was gentle of manner and nicely groomed, what some these days might call slightly "effeminate" or somewhat feminine-looking...which some women find very attractive.

The version I will sing will be essentially the lyrics found in the Digitrad, with a few lines borrowed from the Warlock Knowe version...

peg

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Noreen
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 06:04 PM

Peg, the songs of Robert Burns are not English poetry.

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 06:26 PM

This is among my favorite threads. I hope someone decides to post a summary for those unable to read through all of it.

I just interviewed with a guy named David. Maybe if I hum Dainty Davy (what will Spaw make of that?), I will get the job.

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 12:55 AM

Much of Burns' work is in English, Noreen. Nearly all of it employs more elements of the English language than would actually be employed in the everyday language, or dialects of the language, of the man-in-the-street [or the hills, or the fields, or the glens...]. Rabbie quite cheerfully mixed Scots and standard English where he found the need, or convenience, in order to achieve rhyme or meter.

Subject: RE: Dainty Davey: What's a curly pow?
From: Wolfgang
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 03:49 AM

I hate to contradict you, Noreen, but Peg is singing at a university on the continent:

In our understanding, Burns had written 'English poetry'. Otherwise the words used would have been 'poetry from England' with Burns not being eligible.

Peg, your choice meets the expectations of the host snd that's here the main thing.

Wolfgang