According to the late Peter Hall's notes for 'Pirn Taed Jockie' (first line 'O fin I was a little wee pirn-taed loonie') in 'Folk Songs of the North East: Songs from the Greig-Duncan Collection' (Greentrax CDTrax 5003) the song was written by George Bruce Thomson, an Aberdeenshire pharmacist who was a friend of Gavin Greig. Thomson was a noted composer of humorous songs, so presumably he wrote them for the music hall stage of the time. The story goes that Greig bailed Thomson after the latter was arrested for being drunk and disorderly in Aberdeen, and in gratitude Thomson signed over the copyrights on his songs to his friend.
The booklet also has a complete transcription and glossary to the song, which is sung by Adam McNaughtan, alternating the tune of each verse between The Girl I Left Behind Me and the White Cockade. (A pirn-taed loonie, for those who wish to know, is a pigeon-toed boy.) David Francis t/f (44) (0)131 557 1050 (o); (44) (0)131 669 8824 (h) Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
