Lyr Req: M-Hm Song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 09:09 AM

THE WIFE OF BEITH is a long poem, not meant to be sung, I don't think, although maybe someone could construct a song from it. It was first published anonymously as a chapbook, in the 18th century in Glasgow. It was reprinted in John Cheap, the Chapman's Library: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century Classified, 1877. The opening lines make it clear that the character is based on Chaucer's WIFE OF BATH (or perhaps both WIFE OF BATH and WIFE OF BEITH are based on the same older tales):

IN Beith once dwelt a worthy wife,
Of whom brave Chaucer mention makes
She lived a licentious life,
And namely in venereal acts
But death did come for all her cracks;
When years were spent and days out driven.
Then suddenly she sickness takes,
Deceased forthwith, and went to heaven.
But as she went upon the way,
There followed her a certain guide…

The guide, of course, turns out to be the devil, who leads her to hell instead, but she escapes, in a story reminiscent of THE DEVIL AND THE FARMER'S WIFE and all its variations.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: GUEST,Steve Gardham
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 04:58 PM

Just been looking through the catalogue for The Leslie Shepard Collection which is up for auction at Jarndyces and 'The Wife of Beith' early 19thc gets a couple of mentions. Same song????

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: GUEST,Robert of Bronxville
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 11:06 AM

The sheet music and lyrics to M-hm and many Scot classics can be found at:

http://www.electricscotland.com/music/minstrelsie/volume6.htm

From:
Scots Minstrelsie
A National Monument of Scottish Song
Edited and Arranged by John Greig, Mus. Doc. (Oxon.)

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BONNIE WEE WINDOW (trad. Ozark)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 19 Mar 02 - 12:09 PM

Mac Tattie: Yes, it does help, because I was able to find "Bonnie Wee Window" in DigiTrad here. It has a clickable link to play a midi file.

I found another version at The Max Hunter Folk Song Collection. Interestingly, this is an American version, collected in the Ozarks. At that site you can see the sheet music, play a midi file, or listen to the field recording.

BONNIE WEE WINDOW
(As sung by Mrs. Goldie Schott in Mondell, Arkansas on April 3, 1958.)

There was a brave lass and her name it was Nell.
She lived in the house where her granny did dwell.
The house it was small and the windows were less.
It had but four panes and one needed a glass.

CHORUS: Oh, the bonnie wee window, the nice little window,
The prettiest window that ever you saw.

Oh, it happened one night that grandma went to her bed.
John, the clever sweetheart that young Nellie had,
Came over the hill his sweetheart to see
And under the window, plainly talked he
Of the …

The lovers sat talking. Not much had been said
Till grandma cried, "Nellie, come to your bed."
"Yes, Grandma, I'm coming," cried Nellie, in pain.
"So, fare you well, Johnny. Come next night again
To the…

Says Nellie to Johnny, "Don't take it amiss.
Before you leave me, just grant me one kiss."
With eager desire he thrust his head through.
What is there in love that lovers won't do
At the…?

Three kisses he gave her and sweet was the smack,
When to his surprise, couldn't get his head back.
He raved and he caved (?). He screamed and he cursed,
And Nellie sat laughing as though she would burst
With his head in the window …

Grandma, hearing the noise, sprang on the floor
And seizing the poker, she rushed through the door.
And across his poor back she gave such a whack
That another one like it would've broken his back.
With his head in the window …

He raved and he caved (?) and he cursed the old dame.
With his head in the window he had to remain
Till the sash it gave way and the glass it did break
And Johnny went home with the frame 'round his neck
Of the…

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: Mac Tattie
Date: 17 Mar 02 - 03:15 PM

The tune is the same as used in that other grand song,"The Bonnie Wee Winnd'ie". Don't know if that helps, but it's the best I can doo. cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Mar 02 - 02:49 PM

Does anyone have a tune for this one?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: nutty
Date: 14 Jul 01 - 06:27 PM

I have it in a book called Songs of the British Isles ( Second Series) .. got the book for 50p cos the first 5 pages were missing but that means no publisher or date.

This has 7 verses (Nynia's has 8) and is traditional /arranged John Thomson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 14 Jul 01 - 05:19 PM

Thanks, Nynia. But how do you know it's the original if it's trad? Or do you know anything about the author? I'd love to know!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 10:22 PM

Thanks Nynia, been missing ya...

Subject: Lyr Add: THE M-HM SONG
From: GUEST,Nynia
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 09:46 PM

I know I said I wouldn't post lyrics again after the crap I got last time but here's the original.

THE M-HM SONG.

Ye've heard o' the di'el as he wandered through beith
Wi' a wife in each oxter and yin in his teeth
When someone cried oot will ye tak' mine the morn
He waggit his tail and he cockit his horn
But he only said m-hm, that usefu' word m-hm
Wi' sic a big moothfu' he couldnae say aye

When I was a laddie lang syne at the schule
The maister he cried me a dunce and a fule
For a' that he said I could ne'er understand
Save when he cried Jimmy haud oot yer haun
Then I gloom'd and said m-hm, I winc'd and said m-hm
I wasnae o'er proud but o'er dour tae say aye

Ain day a queer word as lang-nebbit's hisel'
He vo'ed he wid thrash me if I couldnae spell
I said mr quill, wi' a kind o' a quiver
I'll spell ye yer word if ye'll spell me anither
Let me hear ye spell m-hm, that common word m-hm
That auld scots word m-hm, ye ken it means aye

If ye'd seen how he scoured and he scratch'd his pate
He cried ye villain get oot o' yer seat
Get oot o' ma class yer the scourge o' the schule
And the di'el only kens if yer mair rogue or fule
But I only said m-hm, that little word m-hm
That common word m-hm, ye ken it means aye

And when a brisk wo'er I courted my Jean
O' Avons braw lasses the pride and the queen
When 'neath my grey plaidie wi' heart beatin' sair
I speared in a whisper if she'd be my ain
She blushed and she said m-hm, she smiled and said m-hm
A thousand times sweeter and dearer than aye

Just ane thing I wanted my bliss tae complete
A kiss frae her rosy mou', couthy and sweet
But a shake o' her heid was her only reply
Of course she said no but I ken't she meant aye
For her twa een said m-hm, her red lips said m-hm
Her hail face said m-hm, and m-hm means aye

And noo I'm a dad wi' a hoose o' ma ain
A dainty wee wife and mair than ain wean
The worst o' it is when a question I spear
They pit on a look sae auld-farrant and queer
But they only say m-hm, that vulgar word m-hm
That daft-like word m-hm, they widnae say aye

So I've gi'en o'er m-hm it's no a nice word
When printed on paper it's perfect absurd
So if ye're o'er lazy tae open yer maw
Just keep yer maw shut and say naithin' at a'
But never say m-hm, that daft-like word m-hm
It's ten times mair vulgar than even broad aye


Nynia.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: GUEST,shona
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 03:29 PM

thank you thank you thank you!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MHM SONG (from the Corries)
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 05:05 PM

Right, here you are:

THE MHM SONG
(Trad)

Ye'll have heard o' the de'il as he wandered thro' Beith
With one wife in each oxter and one in his teeth
When someone cried out, Will ye take mine in the morn
But he waggit his tail and he cockit his horn
And he only said, M-hm
That wee bit word M-hm
He'd such a big moothfu' he couldnae say, Aye

When I was a laddie lang syne at the school
The Maister he cried me a dunce and a fool
But for a' that he said I could ne'er understand
Except when he roared, Jimmy haud oot yer hand
But I only said, M-hm
I grim'ced and said, M-hm
I wasnae o'er proud but o'er dour tae say, Aye

One day a queer word as langnebbed as himsel'
He vowed he would thrash me if I couldnae spell
Says I, Mister Quill, wi' a kind o' a quiver
I'll spell ye yer word if you'll spell me anither
Let me hear you spell M-hm
That wee bit word M-hm
That auld Scots word M-hm, ye ken it means aye

Had ye seen how he scoured and he scairted his pate
And he cried out, Ye villain, come oot o' yer seat
Get oot o' ma gate, ye're the plague o' the school
And the de'il on me kens if you're most rogue or fool
But I only said, M-hm
I smiled and said, M-hm
That auld Scots word M-hm, ye ken it means aye

Now M-hm's no big but it's gie hard to spell
If ye saw it in print would ye ken it yersel'
So if yer o'er lazy tae open yer maw
Just keep yer mouth shut and say nothing at a'
Never say, M-hm
That wee bit word M-hm
That auld Scots word M-hm, ye ken it means aye

(From the Corries Songbook)
Not surprisingly, I have not a scrap of further info on the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 07:42 PM

Yes I came back 24 hours ago, had to go to work, then to the doctor, cooked tomato sauce, heard a friend had died over the weekend (after long illness) and needed to cuddle the cat who's not used to my being away for so long. I've got the song in front of me but I'll type it out tomorrow. Hope you'll understand.
Ah yes, and the festival was marvellous. Scorching sun, loads of music I wasn't interested in (I'm not a world music fan), interesting food, lots of people I only meet once a year, Dick Gaughan in the rain (well, no, the stage was covered, the audience wasn't), singing his particular brand of songs while the mother of all thunderstorms was raging over the little town of Rudolstadt in Thuringia, and on Sunday I got promoted to roadie-ing for Andy Irvine. An absolutely enjoyable weekend!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: Mrrzy
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 01:30 PM

Definitely needs more lyrics... did skw ever get back from her festival, and how was that?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: GUEST,shona
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 01:10 PM

it has a line in it that says "i just smiled and said M-hm that (cant rememeber)word M-hm". or something like that. i heard it at a festival a few weeks ago and i didnt get a chnace to speak to the guy that sang it to see if i could get the words! my friend is certain the corries sang it. we shall see. thank you!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 10:40 AM

Is it Froggie went a courting?

Froggie went a courtin' and he did ride, Mmm hmm, Mmm hmm...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: IanC
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 04:10 AM

It seems a little difficult to locate lyrics on the web due to the structure of the song's name.

It was originally on LIVE FROM SCOTLAND VOLUME 1 (1974) - Dara/EMI PA002 (Recorded in Glasgow City Hall) and is in their Songbook, volume I.

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: M-Hm Song
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 04 Jul 01 - 05:32 PM

Shona, can you wait till Sunday? I've got it, but I'm off to a folk festival right now and won't be back before then.

Subject: M-Hm Song
From: GUEST,Shona
Date: 04 Jul 01 - 02:46 PM

I was wondering if anyone has the words to the m-hm song? i think the corries sang it, a friend of mine says she thinks it was in a corries song book but she's lost her copy! thanks.