Many Scottish adults will remember singing as children, or indeed being sung to by their parents and grandparents, songs such as Coulter’s Candy, Dance Tae Your Daddy, Katie Bairdie and Wee Wullie Winkie – but when was the last time you saw them appear in a book?
John Thor and Annie Ewing have addressed this with the publication of this book, a superb collection of traditional Scottish nursery rhymes with music and guitar chords.
It’s the first new collection of Scottish traditional nursery rhymes for more than 40 years and the first ever to include music for more than 100 rhymes, all of which are presented in modern, readable Scots spelling and accompanied by lovely black and white illustrations.
The book also has well-researched notes which explains the background to many of the songs and rhymes, as well as an A-Y glossary of Scots words, plus guitar chords, scales and keys.
I thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with the songs and rhymes of my own childhood, and I for one, can’t wait to teach my five-year-old grandson some of the songs and poems which made me smile as a youngster – just so long as Ye Canna Shuve Your Granny Aff A Bus doesn’t become his personal favourite…
Book Review: Auld Sangs for Bairns and Wee Weans selected and edited by John Thor and Annie Ewing
