Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks, et al.)

Subject: Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Apr 05 - 12:57 PM

This is from another thread, and I was afraid it would get lost if it was mixed with another song and in a title with a generic name. I can't understand what Jelks is singing on the CD, and the booklet doesn't have lyrics. The notes say the song is from the singing of Marjorie Sinclair, "telling the story of a young woman being persuaded by her family to marry an old man because he is wealthy. The young woman resists and stands by her younger man, even though he is poor."
-Joe Offer-

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Thread #80493   Message #1467781
Posted By: GUEST,Julie
22-Apr-05 - 06:13 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Two scottish songs (Jelks)
Subject: Lyr Req: Two scottish songs

    Can anyone help me with the lyrics to a couple of songs from
    Maureen Jelks album - "Eence Upon a Time"

    "Eence Upon a Time (When I Wis Young and Bonny)"
    and
    "Why Should I"

    They're quite hard to figure out from listening as she has such a strong scottish accent! Does anyone also know if they are both trad songs?

    Thanks a lot

    Julie

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Click here for "Eence Upon a Time."

Subject: Lyr Add: WHY SHOULD I A BRISK YOUNG... (Jelks...)
From: Drumshanty
Date: 22 Apr 05 - 05:06 PM

Why Should I?

Why should I a brisk young lassie
Be forced to wed a feckless auld man
Hoastin' an hirplin' a lameter body
I'll dee far raither than gie him ma han'

Kirk or mercat ay he follows me
Gapin', glowerin' till I fain ban
Then at oor ingle-neuk ilka day haverin'
I'll dee far raither than gie him ma han'

A' ma freens are like tae deave me
Boot hoose and hame and siller and land
Deil tak the siller and land a' thegither
I'll dee far raither than gie him ma han'

My ain jo, he's young an bonnie
Though he's puir he's ay guid tae me
I'll hae nae man but ma ain dearest Johnny
And ne'er the auld man although I should dee

I don't have any more information about the song than Joe has given. I've half transcribed this, and half copied it from lyrics on Agnes Wightman's CD so I'm as sure as I can be that they're right. I used the online Dictionary of the Scots Language to check them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks)
From: Peace
Date: 22 Apr 05 - 05:27 PM

Thank you, Drumshanty. I spent the better part of an hour lookin' for that. Couldn't find it anywhere.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Apr 05 - 01:55 PM

Thanks a lot, Drumshanty. It seems to match the Jelks recording quite closely. I really like this CD, but I'd like it a lot better if I had the lyrics to all the songs.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks)
From: GUEST,Julie
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 06:08 AM

Thanks ever so much for going to all the trouble.
Julie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks)
From: Drumshanty
Date: 25 Apr 05 - 07:33 AM

You're very welcome!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks, et al.)
From: GUEST,Julie
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 05:41 AM

Sorry to bring this one up again. Any chance anyone can actually translate some of those lines? I can get some of it, but other bits are impossible!! Also, is it a dialect derived from Scots English or Scots Gaelic?

Thanks ever so much!
Julie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks, et al.)
From: Scotus
Date: 29 Apr 05 - 08:42 AM

here you go Julie -

Why should I a brisk young lassie
Be forced to wed a feckless (feeble) auld man
Hoastin'(coughing) an hirplin'(limping) a lameter (crippled) body
I'll dee far raither than gie him ma han'

Kirk (church) or mercat (market)ay he follows me
Gapin', glowerin'(scowling) till I fain ban (curse)
Then at oor ingle-neuk (fire side)ilka (every) day haverin'(talk nonsense)
I'll dee far raither than gie him ma han'

A' ma freens are like tae deave (deafen) me
Boot (about) hoose and hame and siller and land
Deil tak the siller and land a' thegither
I'll dee far raither than gie him ma han'

My ain jo (sweetheart), he's young an bonnie
Though he's puir he's ay guid tae me
I'll hae nae man but ma ain dearest Johnny
And ne'er the auld man although I should dee


I've assumed you can work out the others which are closer to English. The language of the song is Scots, not Gaelic.

Jack Beck

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks, et al.)
From: GUEST,Julie
Date: 12 May 05 - 05:51 AM

Just one last thing,
What does "Deil tak the siller and land a' thegither" mean please?

Me and my sis can do this together now (me singing and her on fiddle), just like to know what it all means!
Ta
Julie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks, et al.)
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 12 May 05 - 02:48 PM

Devil take the silver and land aaltogether

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks, et al.)
From: GUEST,Juile
Date: 13 May 05 - 04:56 AM

Thanks! Do you know if the 'Scots' language, as featured here, comes directly from Gaelic or is it a dialect of English?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Why Should I (Jelks, et al.)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 09:21 PM

Musical notation for WHY SHOULD I, A BRISK YOUNG LASSIE, arranged for voice and piano, can be seen in The Popular Songs of Scotland by George Farquhar Graham, et al. (Glasgow: J. Muir Wood & Co., 1887), page 30.