{"id":5093,"date":"2020-09-03T16:36:44","date_gmt":"2020-09-03T16:36:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=5093"},"modified":"2020-10-22T15:14:40","modified_gmt":"2020-10-22T15:14:40","slug":"cushie-butterfield","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/cushie-butterfield\/","title":{"rendered":"Cushie Butterfield"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td><\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td> 1863<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>George Ridley<\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td>Harry Clifton, arr Candy<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN3504<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>George Ridley<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Source Singers<\/strong>
Sykes, Harold 1967 England : Yorkshire
Geoff [surname unknown] 1950-69 England : Northumberland
Modern performances<\/strong>
Houghton Weavers
Jimmy Shand
Alex Glasgow<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Aa's a brokem hairted keelman and as's ower heed in luv\nWiv a young lass in Gyetsid and Aa caall hor me duv\nHor nyem's Cushie Butterfield and she sells yalla clay\nAnd her cousin is a muckman and they caall 'im Tom Gray.\n\nShe's a big lass an' a bonnie lass an' she likes hor beor\nAn' they caall hor Cushie Butterfield and Aa wish she was heor.<\/em>\n\nHor eyes is like two holes in a blanket bornt throo\nAn' hor broos iv a mornin' wad spyen a yung coo\nAn' wnen Aa heer hor shoutin' - 'Will ye buy ony clay?'\nLike a candyman's trumpet, it steals me yung hart away.\n\nYe'll oft see hor doon at Sangit when the fresh harrin comes in\nShe's like a bagfull o' saadust tied round wiv a string\nShe wears big galoshes tee, an' hor stockins once was white\nAn' hor bedgoon it's laelock, an' hor hat's nivver strite.\n\nWhen Aa axed hor to marry us, she started te laff\n'Noo, nyen o' you monkey tricks, for aa like nee sic chaff.'\nThen she started a' bubblin' an' roared like a bull\nAn' the cheps on the Keel ses Aa's nowt but a fyuel.\n\nShe ses the chep 'et gets us 'ill heh te work ivvery day\nAn' when he comes hyem at neets he'll heh to gan an' seek clay\nAn' when he's away seekin' Aa'll myek baals an' sing\nO weel may the keel row that ma laddie's in.\n\nA less \"regional\" version:<\/strong>\nI's a broken-hearted keelman and I's over head in love\nWith a young lass in Gateshead and I call her my dove.\nHer name's Cushie Butterfield and she sells yellow clay,\nAnd her cousin is a muckman and they call him Tom Grey.\n\nShe's a big lass and a bonny lass and she likes her beer\nAnd they call her Cushie Butterfield and I wish she was here.<\/em>\n\nHer eyes is like two holes in a blanket burnt through\nHer brows in a morning would spyen a young cow\nAnd when t' hear her shouting Will you buy any clay?\nLike a candyman's trumpet it steals my heart away\n\nYou'll oft see her down at Sandgate when the fresh herring come\nShe's like a bag full of sawdust tied round with a string\nShe wears big galoshes too and her stockings once was white\nAnd her petticoat's lilac and her hat's never straight\n\nWhen I axed her to marry me she started to laugh\nNow none of your monkey tricks for I like ne such chaff\nThen she started a blubbing and she roared like a bull\nAnd the chaps on the quay says I's nought but a fool\n\nShe says the chap that gets her must work every day\nAnd when he comes home at nights he must gang and seek clay\nAnd when he's away seeking she'll make balls and sing\nO well may the keel row that my laddie's in.\n\n*yellow clay was used for polishing doorsteps\n**Spyen = dry up a cow's milk<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
George Ridley<\/strong> (1834-1864) wrote this very “Northern” alternative to Harry Clifton’s Polly Perkins, borrowing the tune, but replacing Clifton’s romanticism with an altogether earthier feel. Ridley worked in the mines as a boy, but in his late teens he was invalided out and by 1861 had progressed from part-time to full-time work in the pubs and Workers Institutes of the north-east. His songs were published locally and sold in cheap editions. He is mainly remembered for two parodies, this one, and Blaydon Races<\/em> which according to Steve Roud is loosely based on the American song “A trip to Brighton”<\/em>.

Whilst as time went by, the songs and entertainment provided in music halls across the British Isles became increasingly homogenous, there were regional differences. The north-east of England developed a distinct tradition which initially at least, remained much closer to its pub singing origins. Other performers associated with the distinct north-east tradition were Joe Wilson and Ned Corvan, who will in the course of time get their own pages!<\/td><\/tr>
 Still a popular song in folk circles, and often heard in singarounds.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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