Lyr Add: Cushie Butterfield (George Ridley)

Subject: Lyr Add: CUSHIE BUTTERFIELD (George Ridley)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 16 Dec 09 - 11:12 PM

Funny, I always assumed this was an Irish song, probably because the only person I ever heard sing it was Tom Dahill, an Irish-American folkie. I just learned it's really Geordie.

There is a plain English version in the DT: CUSHIE BUTTERFIELD.

These lyrics are from Songs of the British Music Hall by Peter Davison:


CUSHIE BUTTERFIELD
Words, George Ridley, published 1873.
Music, "Pretty Polly Perkins" by Harry Clifton, 1864.

1. Aa's a broken-hairted keelman and Aa's ower heed in luv
Wiv a young lass in Gyetsid and Aa caall her me duv.
Hor nyem's Cushie Butterfield and she sells yalla clay,
And her cousin is a muck-man and they caall 'im Tom Gray.

CHORUS: She's a big lass an' a bonnie lass an' she likes her beor,
An' they caall her Cushie Butterfield an' Aa wish she was heor.

2. Hor eyes is like two holes in a blanket burnt throo,
An' hor broos iv a mornin' wad spyen a yung coo;
An' when Aa heer hor shoutin'—"Will ye buy ony clay?"
Like a candyman's trumpet, it steals me yung hart away.

3. Ye'll oft see hor doon at Sangit when the fresh harrin comes in.
She's like a bagfull o' saadust tied roond wiv a string.
She weers big galoshes tee, an' hor stockins once was white,
An' hor bedgoon it's laelock, an' hor hat's nivver strite.

4. When Aa axed hor te marry us, she started te laff,
"Noo, nyen o' you monkey tricks for Aa like nee sic chaff."
Then she started a' blubbin' an' roared like a bull,
An' the cheps on the keel ses Aa's nowt but a fyuel.

5. She ses, "The chep 'et gets us 'ill heh te work ivvery day,
An' when he comes hyem at neets, he'll heh to gan an' seek clay.
An' when he's away seekin't Aa'll myek baals an' sing,
O weel may the keel row that ma laddie's in."


[p.s. What was yellow clay used for?]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cushie Butterfield (George Ridley)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 16 Dec 09 - 11:18 PM

Mostly pottery according to Mr Google.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cushie Butterfield (George Ridley)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Dec 09 - 12:15 AM

But if it's only used by potters, would it make sense to hawk it in the streets like that?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cushie Butterfield (George Ridley)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 17 Dec 09 - 12:22 AM

My understanding is that it's hard to get, Jim.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cushie Butterfield (George Ridley)
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 17 Dec 09 - 04:26 AM

Yellow clay was used for cleaning doorsteps; a matter of great pride in the North East!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cushie Butterfield (George Ridley)
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 Dec 09 - 07:30 AM

Indeed, Dave - North West as well but we couldn't find any yellow clay so used Donket Stones

Cheers

DeG

BTW - Don't confuse yellow clay with yellow snow:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cushie Butterfield (George Ridley)
From: alex s
Date: 17 Dec 09 - 08:09 AM

Yellow clay around the doorstep (and sometimes windows) kept the Devil out.......

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Cushie Butterfield (George Ridley)
From: GUEST,www.geordiewilson.com
Date: 31 Aug 10 - 10:22 AM

The yellow clay in Cushie Butterfield is probably used for for rubbing on the outside the front doorstep to get it looking all posh and pretty, especially for a Sunday. I was raised in South Benwell in the fifties - next to Paradise and the railway bridge - where it was common to see the women out on their hands and knees scrubbing up the steps and grinding in the clay. Set the milk bottle off geet pretty it did!