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03 Sep 18 - 01:35 PM (#3947835) Subject: Broom Besons, lyrics From: robinia Hi, can anyone fill out the words to this song, which I think maybe comes from around Aberdeen. It starts "I maun hae a wife ..." and has a chorus of "Buy broom besons (?) better never grew, fine heather ringers ..... Thanks |
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03 Sep 18 - 01:39 PM (#3947837) Subject: RE: Broom Besons, lyrics From: Backwoodsman Besoms |
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03 Sep 18 - 01:49 PM (#3947839) Subject: RE: Broom Besons, lyrics From: John MacKenzie It's from the North East of England https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broom_Buzzems |
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03 Sep 18 - 02:01 PM (#3947843) Subject: RE: Broom Besons, lyrics From: robinia Thanks! Now for the full text.. {Sorry for the double posting} |
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03 Sep 18 - 04:11 PM (#3947859) Subject: Lyr Add: BUY BROOM BUZZEMS (William Purvis) From: Gordon Jackson Buy Broom Buzzems If you want a buzzem For to sweep your hoose Come to me maw hinnies You can hae your choose Buy broom buzzems Buy them when they’re new Fine heather bred ’uns Better never grew Buzzems for a penny Rangers for a plack If you winnot buy Aw’ll tie them on my back Buy broom buzzems Buy them when they’re new Fine heather bred ’uns Better never grew If aw had a horse Aw wad hev a cairt If aw had a wife She wad tyek me pairt Buy broom buzzems Buy them when they’re new Fine heather bred ’uns Better never grew Had aw but a wife Aw care not what she be If she’s but a woman That’s enuf for me Buy broom buzzems Buy them when they’re new Fine heather bred ’uns Better never grew If she liked a droppie Her and I’d agree If she didn’t it There’s the mair for me Buy broom buzzems Buy them when they’re new Fine heather bred ’uns Better never grew Composed by William (Blind Willie) Purvis (1752-1832). In Northumbrian Minstrelsy (1882/1998). |
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04 Sep 18 - 01:58 AM (#3947915) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: The Sandman i have always been under the impression this was a street sellers song |
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04 Sep 18 - 02:24 AM (#3947917) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: robinia Just what I wanted! Thanks again |
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04 Sep 18 - 04:57 AM (#3947949) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: Gordon Jackson Hi Robinia et al, This is what the Northumbrian Minstrelsy has to say about Blind Willie Purvis: 'This unique little ballad, quaint and simple alike in music and words, is popularly attributed to William Purvis, commonly called “Blind Willie”, one of the most noteworthy and famous of the Newcastle eccentrics. He was the son of John Purvis, waterman, and born about the beginning of 1752, having been baptized at All Saints Church on the 16th February of that year. This eccentric character never enjoyed the faculty of sight, and many still living remember the sonsy, contented, and sightless face of Willie as he trudged along the streets without a covering on his head. Several attempts were made by presenting him with a hat to induce him to wear one; but after having borne the affliction for a day or two, it was thrown aside, and the “Minstrel,” as he was called, again appeared uncovered, preferring the exposure of his hoary but well-thatched pate to the pelting of the pitiless storm. Blind Willie was perfectly acquainted with all the streets, lanes, and chares of his native town, and made his way everywhere without a guide, using only a long stick. His happy, contented nature made him a universal favourite with all ranks of society; and he had his regular places of call, where he was always welcome and duly served. At the inns and public houses of the town Blind Willie’s presence in the taproom was a sure attraction, and his voice and fiddle in harmony, singing some quaint and local ditty, gave never failing delight to his appreciative audiences. “Buy Broom Buzzems” was usually considered to be Willie’s chef-d’oeuvre, and he was in the habit of adding new verses, either made by himself or made for him, having no connection with the original theme. They have, therefore, been omitted here. Blind Willie died in the All Saints’ Poorhouse on 20th July, 1832, upwards of eighty years of age.' So, a few things come to my mind. First, Bruce and Stokoe (the authors/compilers) call the song a 'ballad', but I'm not sure I would, but that's no big deal. Second, 'popularly attributed' is not definitive. Third, Blind Willie is described as eccentric, but there is nothing in this passage that would merit this description. Perhaps Bruce and Stokoe knew more about him, and chose not to include it, perhaps being blind and/or not wearing a hat was considered eccentric in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, or perhaps describing him in this way somehow added to his mystique and attractiveness; I really don't know. Perhaps someone out there in the Mudflats has access to other info on the song and its composer? |
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04 Sep 18 - 06:19 AM (#3947968) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: Rob Naylor This seems to be yet another song that's become "Oirishised". Most of the times I've heard it in the south of the UK, it's been attributed as being "an old Irish besom seller's song" and the Chorus has gone: Buy broom besoms Besoms fine and new Castleblaney heather Better never grew We always sang the Northumbrian lyrics when I was at school "up North", but for the last 30 years all I've heard is "Casteblaney heather"! |
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04 Sep 18 - 08:13 AM (#3947990) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: GUEST,Jack Campin Wherever it was originally from, it was known in Scotland early enough for Burns to make a version of it. I'd guess Blind Willie was following in Burns's footsteps, both of them adapting a traditional original. |
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04 Sep 18 - 08:51 AM (#3948005) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: Gordon Jackson Perhaps. Blind Willie was seven years older than Burns, so that doesn't really tell us much. |
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04 Sep 18 - 11:04 AM (#3948034) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: GUEST,jim bainbridge Johnny Handle has a few extra verses- no doubt Willie Purvis was quite OK with a bit of early product placement while singing- one verse went, I think.. 'If ye want an orange for te taste yer mooth Gan te Handy Walker, he's a bonny youth'.... there's ome about oysters as well Willie Purvis lived a bit longer than Burns- by the way, there is no doubt that Burns did a tour of the northern counties of England & also that he heard a street singer in Newcastle singing a song using the words 'auld lang syne' Don't want to start any trouble about the border, we have enough here in Ireland- never heard the Castleblayney version here, either? |
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04 Sep 18 - 12:59 PM (#3948071) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: Mick Pearce (MCP) Bell's Rhymes of the Northern Bards has come different verses. Catnach also printed a copy (text in Holloway & Black) with essentially the same chorus but totally different words, I suspect chorus taken from oral sources and new words added for verses. Steve? I haven't time now but I'll post the texts tomorrow if I can. Mick |
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04 Sep 18 - 01:12 PM (#3948077) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: Mick Pearce (MCP) Should have checked first. The Rhymes version is posted in the first thread in the links above (44 posts) Rhymes version. Mick |
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04 Sep 18 - 01:51 PM (#3948090) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: Steve Gardham Blind Willie possibly rewrote it and might have even added the chorus, but the verses were printed in upmarket songsters in the second half of the 18thc and by 1800 there were widely differing versions being printed with as many as 10 verses. Willie's version only appears to have 5. Here's a 5 verse version from the Bacchanalian Songster printed by B. Wickes of Winchester in 1783. I'll have a wife, Whatso'er she be; If she be but woman, That's enough for me. If she should be handsome, Oh! what a delight; If she should be ugly, What matter in the night? Should she be good humour'd, Oh! what joys are there; Should she be ill-natur'd, Hang me if I care. If she should be barren, Then the less my care; If she should be fruitful, Then I'll have an heir. Should she be an angel, Then I shan't be curst; Should she be a devil, Hang her do her worst. (No ref to besoms) Burns had 2 versions, one obviously from tradition but the other looks to have come from his own pen. |
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05 Sep 18 - 04:06 AM (#3948178) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: Tattie Bogle Must confess I had thought it was a Scots song, but probably because I've mainly heard Scottish singers perform it. The possibilty of more than one version is good enough for me. |
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05 Sep 18 - 04:52 AM (#3948187) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: Gordon Jackson For what it's worth (not much, I know), my favourite recording of the song is by Jack the Lad. For you young 'uns out there, Jack the Lad was a 1970's folk-rock band from Newcastle. IMHO when they played trad, they were superb; when they played their own material they were pretty dire. The live recording on YT is a different setting to what was on the album The Old Straight Track. The latter was a really wonderful, happy sound; they paired it with an instrumental version of Dance to Your Daddy: sheer bliss! |
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05 Sep 18 - 07:37 AM (#3948218) Subject: Lyr Add: BUY BROOM BESOMS (from Catnach) From: Mick Pearce (MCP) The Catnach version I mentioned is actually a version of I Am A Besom Maker (Roud 910) as opposed to Buy Broom Besoms (Roud 1623). There are plenty of broadside versions at the Bodleian and it was collected by several collectors (Baring-Gould, Sharp, Vaughan-Williams at least). Looking at the some of the collected tunes, the verse is usually different from Buy Broom Besoms, but the chorus has a similarity. All examples seem to be later than Buy Broom Besoms; I still suspect that the chorus of BBB was adapted to the new song - any opinions, Steve? Here's the text from Holloway and Black. Mick Buy Broom Besoms Printed and sold by J. Catnach, 2, Monmouth Court, 7 Dials. Sold by T. Batchelar, 14 Hackney Road Crescent; Bennett, Brighton, and Pierce, Southborough I am a besom maker, listen to my tale, I am a besom maker, lives in yonder vale, Sweet pleasures I enjoy both morning, night and noon, Going over the hills so high a gathering of green broom. CHORUS Come buy my besoms, besoms fine and new, Bonny green broom besoms, better never grew. One day as I was roving, over the hills so high, I met with a rakish squire, all with a rolling eye, He tipt to me the wink, I wrote to him the tune, I eas'd him of his jink, a gathering of green broom One day as I was turning to my native vale I met Jack Sprat, the miller, he asked me turn tale His mill I rattled round, I ground the girls so clean I eas'd him of his jink in gathering broom so green One day as I was turning to my native cot, I met a buxom farmer, happy was his lot, He plough'd his furrows deep, & laid his corn so low He left it there to keep her, like green broom to grow When the corn grew up to its native soil, A pretty sweet young baby soon on me did smile, I bundled up my besoms and took them to the fair, And sold them all by wholesale nursing now's my care. (jink=money) |
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05 Sep 18 - 05:34 PM (#3948344) Subject: RE: Broom Besoms, lyrics From: Steve Gardham Yes, I think the link is far too obvious for it to be a coincidence. Without checking on earliest dates which don't actually prove anything anyway, I'd say the most likely direction is 1623 to 910 which has more a feel of art to it and is more carefully crafted. 910 is, if I remember correctly, pretty rare in oral tradition anyway, which is what I would expect. |