Volume IV, song 396, page 409 - 'The Deuks dang o'er my daddie' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'The bairns gat out wi' an unco shout, The deuks dang o'er my daddie O! The fienmacare, quo' the feirrie auld wife, He was but a paidlin body, O! he paidles out, and he paidles in, An he paidles late and early, O! This seven lang years I hae lien by his side, An' he is but a fusionless carlie, O.' A 'deuk' is a 'duck' and 'dang' is 'to knock', whilst 'fient-ma-care' is no matter and 'fusionless carlie' is 'feeble old man'. The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition. Whilst the song is attributed to Burns, the melody is thought to be English. John Glen, in 'Early Scottish Melodies' (1900), agreed with G.F. Graham's opinion 'that our Scottish version is much better in melodic form and animation'. Although known in Scotland for many years under the title, 'The Deuks dang o'er my daddie', it is more familiarly known in England as 'The Buff Coat'.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503591

Title

Volume IV, song 396, page 409 - 'The Deuks dang o'er my daddie' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Object Type

PhysicalObject

Measurements

- 132 x 211 mm