Yowie wi the Crookit Horn
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1960.138.A2
Original Tape ID
Summary
In this song, a man owns a much-appreciated illicit still (the 'yowie wi the crookit horn') until it is stolen by a 'nicken' [rascal]. He vows that if he had the lad that did it he would give his neck a twist.
Item Notes
3 verses of 4 lines with chorus at start and after each verse; false start.
Despite the popular re-write by 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
'Jeannie Robertson' (J. Porter & H. Gower, 1995) pp. 143-144
'The Scots Musical Museum' vol. 3 (J. Johnson & R. Burns, 1853 edition) no. 293
Recording Location
County - Aberdeenshire
Parish - Old Deer
Village/Place - Fetterangus
Language
Scots
Genre
Collection
Classification
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good