Collier Laddie

I've traveled east and I've traveled west
And I've traveled pure Kirkaldy,
But the bonniest lass that e'er I spied
She was followin' her collier laddie.

cho: Laddie, O, laddie
But the bonniest lass that e'er I spied
She was followin' her collier laddie.
(final 2 lines of chorus change with verse.)

"O whaur live ye my bonnie lass?
Come tell me what they ca' ye. "
"Bonnie Jean Gordon is my name,
And I'm followin' a collier laddie."

cho:

"O would ye fancy ane that's black
And you sae fair and gaudy?
O fancy ane o' higher degree,
Than followin' a collier laddie."

cho:

"Ye see yon hills the sun shines on,
The sun shines on sae gaudy ;
They a' are mine and they shall be thine,
Gin ye'll leave your collier laddie. "

cho:

"Though ye had a' the sun shines on,
And the earth conceals sae lowly,
l wad turn my back on you and it a'
And follow my collier laddie."

cho:
Then he has gane to her faither dear,
To her faither gane sae brawly ;
Says: "Will ye gie me your bonnie, bonnie lass
That's followin' a collier laddie?"

cho:

"O would she marry a man that's black,
And me sea braw and gaudy?
I'll raise her up to a higher degree
Than followin' a collier laddie."

cho:

Her faither then he vowed and swore:
"Though he be black he's bonnie;
She's mair delight in him, I fear,
Than in you wi' a' your money."

cho:
"O, I can win my five pennies a day,
And spend't at nicht fu' brawly,
And I'll mak' my bed in the collier's neuk
And lie doon wi' my collier laddie."

cho:

"Love for love is the bargain for me,
Though the wee cot-hoose should haud me,
And the world before me to win my breid,
And fare for my collier laddie."

cho:

From Songs and Dances of Scotland, Thomson
Note: this, plus the first version ( COLLAD ), go together to make
a fairly complete picture. See also The Factory Girl , for a
similar bit of lower-class snobbishness.
RG