I Paula Tay Taska

I Paula Tay, Paula Taska
(two versions) / Interview

a. Norton Park schoolchildren:

I paula tay, paula taska,
Paula tay, paula toe.
I paula tay, paula taska,
Paula tay, paula toe.
O alia tinka, to do the rhumba,
O alia tinka, do the
Rhumba — umba umba umba-ay.

James T. Ritchie: What kind of game is this, Peggy?

Peggy MacGillivray: It's a circle game with one girl in
the middle and everybody dances round singing.
And when it comes to "O alla tinka, "she must do the
rhumba to that bit.

Ritchie: Ay, um uh, well, will you [...] it then?
MacGillivray: Or a copy of the rhumba. (Sings:)

b. Peggy MacGillivray and James T. Ritchie:

I paula tay, paula taska,
Paula tay, paula toe.
I paula tay, paula taska,
Paula tay, paula toe.
O alia tinka, to do the rhumba,
O alia tinka do the —
Rhumba — umba, umba, umba, ay.

The Opies identify a pre-World War I chant ancestor of "I Paula Tay" but say that, as a song, it has "only been noticed at Norton Park School . . . first as a skipping rhyme . . . and then as a rhumba," and shows "the persistence of scraps of rhythmic utterance."( The Singing Game, p. 428.) Lomax commented, "Even in staid old Edinburgh, where the children play on cobbled streets between walls of red brick and grey stone, the old dances live on, very often influenced by things heard on the radio and in the movies." (A Ballad-Hunter Looks at Britain, program 5.) Opie's The Singing Game # 126.

Various Artists
- Singing in the Streets: Scottish Children's Songs
  - London Bridge Time: 0:17
  - My Girl's A Corker Time: 1:26
  - I've A Sweetheart in America Time: 0:51
  - There Are Hundreds Of These Time: 1:08
  - The Night Was Dark Time: 0:23
  - Harry Lauder and Mussolini Are Dead Time: 0:25
  - As I Went Down To Windsor Time: 0:32
  - Chinese Government / Interview Time: 1:21
  - The Wind, The Wind Time: 1:59
  - Poor Mary Sat A-Weeping Time: 0:59
  - Here's A Poor Widow Time: 0:17
  - Little Sally Walker Time: 0:28
  - On The Mountain Time: 0:17
  - All The Boys In London Time: 0:34
  - The Big Ship Sails Time: 0:23
  - In And Out The Windows Time: 1:12
  - Up Against The Wall Time: 0:42
  - I Paula Tay Paula Taska / Interview Time: 0:41
  - Here Comes A Bluebird Time: 0:32
  - My Father Bought The Little Coat Time: 0:15
  - A Tisket A Tasket Time: 0:30
  - In and Out The Dusty Bluebells Time: 0:31
  - He's A Navvy Time: 1:24
  - Mother, Mother, I Am Ill Time: 0:28
  - PK Penny Packet / Mrs Mopp / Chicka Tony Time: 0:25
  - One Two Three Alairy Time: 0:22
  - Eevy Ivy Over / Interview Time: 0:34
  - All The Way To London Town / Interview Time: 1:13
  - Queen Elizabeth Lost Her Shoe Time: 0:23
  - It Has To Come Out Quite Unconsciously Time: 0:38
  - Down In The Valley Time: 0:49
  - There's Usually An Argument Which One's Which Time: 1:14
  - Jelly On The Plate Time: 0:36
  - Cowboy Joe / Ippetty Soopitty Time: 0:13
  - My Mother / My Little House Time: 0:51
  - Eetle Ottle, Black Bottle Time: 0:17
  - Flip Flop Time: 0:36
  - One Two Three Four Five Time: 0:20
  - My Name Is Sweet Jenny Time: 0:51
  - I'm A Little Orphan Girl Time: 0:58
  - Broken Hearted, I Wander Time: 0:58
  - The Bonny Sailor Boy / Interview Time: 1:21
  - When I Was Single Time: 1:10
  - An Angel Said To Me Time: 0:15
  - All That Shivers / Canaa's Shore / The Burning Deck Time: 0:45
  - The World Must Be Coming To An End Time: 1:02
  - Robert Burns Time: 0:12
  - Put Him In The Bathtub Time: 0:28
  - I'm Goin' Awa In The Train Time: 0:19
  - Paddy Knight Time: 0:21
  - When I Was Young Time: 0:31
  - Chairlie / The Cotton Spinners / The 42nd Time: 2:02
  - Goose, Ducks, Stones, Fires And Rain Time: 1:08
  - Aunty Mary Had A Canary / Woe O'Hara Time: 0:46
  - The Donkey / The Croft / The Policeman Time: 0:54
  - Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be? Time: 0:11