She Was A Rum One

She Was A Rum One

For as I strolled out on a clear moonlight,
One clear moonlight in winter,
For 'twas there I met a pretty fair maid,

Chorus:

She was a rum one, fol-de-doodle-i-o-aye
But a bonny one, fol-de-doodle i-do.

For she walk-ed up and she walk-ed down,
And I kept close behind her.
For I asked to her the reason why
She couldna step no wider.

Go away, go away, you foolish young man,
And stop such foolish talking,
For it does not suit young men, she said,
To pick up young women walking.

For I'm a doctor to my trade,
My friends they call me Raree,
If you'll tell me where your troubles lie,
I'll clean you neat and fair-o.

My trouble lies between my thighs,
And there it is abiding,
It tickles me both night and day,
And it keeps me from striding.

He laid her down upon a bank,
And he provided the plaster.
She jump-ed up to her feet,
Saying "I hope you'll never end it."

She gave to me my winter's beef,
Besides my winter's firing,
Far better than that, she gave to me
A stable for my stallion.

Jeannie Robertson: Don't you look at my face when I'm singing that rum song.

Lomax: Sorry.

Bawdy songs like this one are widespread in Lowland Scotland. Jeannie's version is closely related to one sung by traveler Davie Stewart.