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Yowie wi the Crookit Horn

Date 19 December 1955
Track ID 30057
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1955.177.B1

Original Tape ID

SA1955.177

Summary

In this song, a man owns a much-appreciated illicit still (the 'ewie wi the crookit horn') until it is stolen by a 'nicken' [rascal]. He vows: "Gin I had the lad that did it /I wid kill him as sure as I said it / ... / I wid gie his neck a thra'".

Sung as a strathspey.

Item Notes

Recorded at a 'Ballads & Blues Concert' at Allen Glen's School, Glasgow. Three verses of eight lines.

Despite the popular re-write by The Rev. John Skinner (1721-1807),
pastor of Longside in Aberdeenshire, which appeared in Johnson's
'Scots Musical Museum', and which implies that the 'ewie' in the song
is an actual sheep, older traditional versions of this song, such as
those preserved by the traveller community, tell us clearly that the
'ewie wi the crookit horn' is an illicit still.

See:
'Tocher 23' (1976) pp.264-265
'Folksongs of Britain & Ireland' (P. Kennedy, 1975) p.603
'Vagabond Songs & Ballads vol. 1' (R. Ford, 1899) pp.87-90
'The Scots Musical Museum vol 3' (J. Johnson, R. Burns, 1853 edition)
No.293
'Jeannie Robertson: Emergent Singer, Transformative Voice' (J. Porter
& H. Gower, 1995) pp.143-144

Recording Location

County - Lanarkshire

Parish - Glasgow

Village/Place - Glasgow

Language

Scots

Collection

SoSS

Classification

R2140

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good