Lyr Req: My Mother's Ay Glouring O'er Me

Subject: Words for old Scots song
From: Gill
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 02:02 PM

I don't know if anyone will be able to help with this one, but if anybody knows the words to the Scottish song "My mother's always glowering at me', could you please let me know. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Words for old Scots song
From: Bruce O.
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 02:15 PM

For "My Mither's ay glowern' o'er me" see "A Health to Betty" in the Scots tune index on my website, www.erols.com/olsonw. Verses are in TTM, OC1, OC2, and SMM.

Subject: RE: Words for old Scots song
From: Gill
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 04:02 PM

Thanks Bruce. Your website is fabulous! I haven't figured out how to find the words yet (I'm not computer savvy) but I'll study it more. I know I will be a frequent visitor to your site. Thanks again.

Subject: RE: Words for old Scots song
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 06:48 PM

Bruce, you never cease to impress, and in under 13 minutes. Compliments of the season. Regards, John

Subject: Lyr Add: KATY'S ANSWER
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 10:28 PM

Here it is, from a broadside at The Word on the Street (from the National Library of Scotland). The song is an answer to another song, THE YOUNG LAIRD AND EDINBURGH KATY.

KATY'S ANSWER
c1720

My Mother's ay glouring o'er me,
Tho' she did the same before me.
I cannot get leave
To look to my Love,
Or else she'll be like to devour me.

Right fain woo'd I take ye'r offer,
Swet Sir, but I'll Tine my Tocher
Then Sandy ye'll fret,
And wyt your poor Kate,
When e'er ye seek in ye'r toom Goffer.

For tho' my Father has plenty,
Of Silver and Plenishing dainty,
Yet he's unco swear
To twin wi his Gear,
And sae we had need to be Tenty.

Tutor my Parents wi Caution.
Be wylie in ilk a Motion.
Brag well o' ye'er Land,
And there's my leal Hand.
Win them. I'll be at your Devotion.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Mother's Ay Glouring O'er Me
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 27 Mar 05 - 11:49 PM

Quite a few misprints in that broadside! "Goffer", though, is an error of transcription for "coffer" made by the library's people. This song, and the one to which it is an answer, are in Scots Musical Museum, II, 1788, nos 171 and 172 (see Bruce's post earlier) with their tunes. The SMM texts are more accurate.

You usually modernise spelling when you transcribe from broadsides; why not this time? Not that I'm complaining. I think it's always best to transcribe faithfully and leave second-guessing to others.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Mother's Ay Glouring O'er Me
From: GUEST,Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 07:59 PM

I usually modernize/standardize spelling because I hope it will make the lyrics easier for others to find with a search engine. I know I'm not consistent: when I transcribe from a sound recording, I like to record the dialect, if there is any.

In short, I've pondered the problem of whether it's better to use standard spelling or not, and I haven't come to a definite conclusion.

I didn't this time because, being less familiar with Scots, I didn't know how to modernize it, because I didn't know what all the words meant. I admit I didn't even read lyrics in the broadside image. I wish I had—I might have caught the coffer/goffer error. Instead, I assumed "goffer" must be some obscure Scots word I hadn't encountered before!

Just now, it occurred to me that "woo'd" probably means "would" and not "wooed."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My Mother's Ay Glouring O'er Me
From: GUEST,Malcolm
Date: 28 Mar 05 - 09:17 PM

There's really very little difference between Scottish and English broadsides of the period. More difference in "educated" writing, as English was moving to a standardised grammar and spelling system (but only for official and literary purposes; normal usage in the North of England, for instance, still confuses foreigners; they always seem to think that it must be Scottish if it has words like "bairn" and "lass" in it).

At the same time, Scottish writers were re-inventing their own regional form of English as "Scots" or "Lallans", or whatever you like. Scots hasn't really developed a standardised spelling system to this day, though you'll always come across people who think that certain forms are more "pure" or "Scottish" than others.

17th and 18th century demotic English is just as much a foreign language as Scots of the same period, really. The difference is that people think that "English" is easily modernised and "Scots" isn't. As I said, I prefer to leave both well alone and just gloss difficult words if necessary. The result is less subjective and more reliable, search engines notwithstanding.