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Auld Maid in a Garret

Date August 1954
Track ID 41238
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1954.88.B2

Original Tape ID

SA1954.088

Summary

This song is about a woman lamenting her lack of a man, and her increasing age. She complains that her sister Jean was courting at the age of 16, and at age 21 is married with two children, while she herself is 44.

She says she is good at housework, and that nothing would make her happier than finding a man to call her his 'dearie'. She does not worry if he is young, old, wise or witty; she will accept anyone who will marry her for pity, and take her from her father. She fears she will die an old maid in a garret.

Lizzie Higgins learned this from a workmate, a Mrs Mann of Aberdeen.

Item Notes

4 verses with refrain after each.

See:
'Songs and Ballads of Dundee' (Nigel Gatherer, 1986, 2000) pp. 86-87, 97

Language

Scots

Collection

SoSS

Classification

R802 GD1378

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good