Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl

Subject: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: GUEST,John Ab
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 03:39 AM

Does any one know who wrote this cheery wee music hall number? I think it is from the Scottish music hall in the early 1900,s
Thanks

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 04:06 AM

It is from that time,I haven't been able to trace the author yet, but I'm working on it.
Giok

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: GUEST,Murray on Salt Spring
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 12:37 PM

BONNIE WEE JEANNIE McCOLL (chorus begins "A fine wee lass, a bonnie wee lass, is bonnie wee Jeannie McColl") is by Joe Gordon. In his Joe Gordon Album 4 (+ music.) [The melody is traditional]
    2x4 lines + 4-line cho. St. 1 begins "The very first night I met her she wis awfy, awfy shy".

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 01:03 PM

No it goes way back, long before the late lamented Joe Gordon Murray.
Giok

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: GUEST,John Ab
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 01:59 PM

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: GUEST,John Ab
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 02:01 PM

Sorry about the empty reply above. My old mum thinks she remembers it in the 1920's but cannot remember who sang it.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 01 Feb 06 - 02:10 PM

Just to be sure that everybody is talking about the same song, have a quick look at Bonnie Wee Jeannie McColl, where Murray posted the words some years ago.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 12:41 PM

A lovely song. Great lyrics and a joyful tune. Its 'official' title is 'She was the Belle of the Ball', written by Will Fyffe, who wrote most of his own stuff. It was recorded by him on the Regal label in 1929. Not to be confused with a song of the same name sung by George Leybourne half a century or more earlier.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 12:42 PM

I'm not a guest, I'm Billy Weeks! Must get my cookie fixed.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: Billy Weeks
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 12:49 PM

That's better!

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: Billy Weeks
Date: 02 Feb 06 - 01:00 PM

And for those of you who have forgotten that gramophone records should rotate at 78rpm, a CD of the Regal recording (and a daffy of other brilliant performances by Will Fyffe) is available on Cylidisc CD.520 available from Tony Barker: [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: GUEST,Alan
Date: 11 Aug 11 - 06:27 PM

Pretty sure my great uncle wrote the lyrics to this song in Ayrshire. His surname was Murphy. Will try to get more information. It was basically stolen.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: GUEST,Patrick Kelly
Date: 19 Oct 18 - 02:55 PM

So, is this considered "Traditional". Does anyone hold the music lisence for it for recording purposes? Please to advise.

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Oct 18 - 10:06 AM

I'm sure you may be able to just stick down Trad. arr by .. - as it's out of copyright you can make your own claim on it as arranger Though you could give a credit to Will Fyffe (the originator) his recording dates to 1929. As he died in 1947, all his works have just passed the 70 years mark of his rights (which makes them public domain out of copyright /Trad. under UK/EU copyright).

Subject: RE: Origins: Bonnie Wee Jeanie McColl
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 18 Nov 18 - 03:54 AM

"She Was the Bell of the Ball", also known as “Bonnie, Wee Jeannie McColl”, this song comes from the Scottish Music Hall. This song (lyrics) was written and recorded in 1929 by Will Fyffe – an actor, singer, songwriter, comic, and impersonator. Born in Dundee in 1885, Will became a character-actor in his father’s touring company, appearing in productions of Shakespeare around Scotland. He wrote many songs that were popular in his time – the most famous being “I Belong To Glasgow” and “Sailing Up the Clyde”. And he became such a well-rounded and well-known performer that a variety theatre in Glasgow once ran a 'Will Fyffe' competition. The great joker that he was, he entered the contest for a bet, heavily disguised, and took second place. He was a young 62 when he passed away in 1947.

Will Fyffe paired his lyrics with an Irish double-jig tune called the “Book of Rights”. He wrote it for his performances in Scottish music halls.

Origins of Scottish Music halls:
In the 1830s, entertainment in the saloon bar began to grow in popularity… two decades later, it would blossom into the music hall… another four decades would see it evolve into burlesque, cabarets, and vaudeville – depending on the owner and the part of town and the hall. The music hall style comprised a variety of entertainment – popular songs of the day, comedy, dance, drama and melodrama (to a lesser degree), and specialty acts - male and female impersonators, lions comiques, mimes, impressionists, trampoline acts, &c. And the music hall atmosphere was less refined – patrons were seated at tables, and could drink and smoke. After WWI, the music hall went into a decline that would last for another forty years before the genre finally died out.