Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Dandoo / The Wee Cooper o' Fife / The Scolding Wife / Gentle Fair Jenny / Jennifer Gentle / As the Dew Flies over the Green Vallee / Robin-a-Thrush / Rissolty Rossolty / Hobblety Bobblety / Nickety Nackety / The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin (Child No. 277) - Sung by Ewan MacColl on "The Long Harvest Vol. 9" (1968). Text from Mr. Jaffray, Lonmay, New Deer, Aberdeenshire; tune from Mrs. Lyall Skene, Dumfriesshire.
Song transcription:
I marriet a wife an' I brocht her hame
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
And O, but she was a saucy dame,
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
She wad neither bake nor brew,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
For spoilin' o' her bonny hue,
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
She wad neither wash nor wring,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
For spoilin' o' her diamond ring
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
She wad neither spin nor caird,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
Because her faither was a laird.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
Johnnie's gane doon to the heid o' the heuch,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
And pu'd a wand baith lang and teuch.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
He's gane doon to his sheep cot,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
And he's ta'en a wadderie oot o' the flock.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
He's ta'en aff the wadderie's skin,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
An' in it he's row't his proud wifie in.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
I daurna strike ye for your proud kin,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
But I will beat my ain wadder's skin.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
He has beat her ahin and afore,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
And he has gien her five to the score.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
O I will bake and I will brew,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
What care I for my bonny hue?
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
I will wash an' I will wring
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
What care I for my diamond ring?
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
I will spin and I will caird
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
Altho' my faither was a laird.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
Dandoo / The Wee Cooper o' Fife / The Scolding Wife / Gentle Fair Jenny / Jennifer Gentle / As the Dew Flies over the Green Vallee / Robin-a-Thrush / Rissolty Rossolty / Hobblety Bobblety / Nickety Nackety / The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin (Child No. 277) - Sung by Ewan MacColl on "The Long Harvest Vol. 9" (1968). Text from Mr. Jaffray, Lonmay, New Deer, Aberdeenshire; tune from Mrs. Lyall Skene, Dumfriesshire.
Song transcription:
I marriet a wife an' I brocht her hame
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
And O, but she was a saucy dame,
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
She wad neither bake nor brew,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
For spoilin' o' her bonny hue,
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
She wad neither wash nor wring,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
For spoilin' o' her diamond ring
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
She wad neither spin nor caird,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
Because her faither was a laird.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
Johnnie's gane doon to the heid o' the heuch,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
And pu'd a wand baith lang and teuch.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
He's gane doon to his sheep cot,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
And he's ta'en a wadderie oot o' the flock.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
He's ta'en aff the wadderie's skin,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
An' in it he's row't his proud wifie in.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
I daurna strike ye for your proud kin,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
But I will beat my ain wadder's skin.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
He has beat her ahin and afore,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
And he has gien her five to the score.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
O I will bake and I will brew,
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
What care I for my bonny hue?
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
I will wash an' I will wring
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
What care I for my diamond ring?
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
I will spin and I will caird
Refitry, rafitry, row, row,
Altho' my faither was a laird.
Sing hey to John Simpleton
Jeanie's white petticoat
Red wi' a rashie row, row.
