Bothy ballad facts for kids

Bothy ballads are special songs sung by farm workers in the northeast part of Scotland. These songs were popular with unmarried labourers who lived in farm buildings called bothies. Bothies were often simple places, but in the evenings, the workers would sing to entertain themselves. These songs helped pass the time and share stories. Some very old songs, called Child Ballads, survived in bothy singing long after they were forgotten elsewhere in the UK.

What are Bothy Ballads About?

Bothy ballads tell many different kinds of stories. They often describe life on the farm, sometimes in a funny or critical way.

Life on the Farm

Many songs from the farmlands around Aberdeen made fun of working conditions. A famous one is "The Barnyards of Delgaty." Its name is a clever play on words, meaning "The Barren Soils of Delgaty." These songs often named real farmers and supervisors, making fun of them. Other similar songs include "Rhynie" and "Harrowing Time." But not all songs were critical. "The Bogheid Crew" celebrates the good work done by the labourers, even naming each person. Many songs also celebrated the ploughmen as great romantic figures, like in "The Plooman Laddies."

Nature and Love

Some bothy ballads celebrate the beautiful Scottish countryside. Songs like "Where The Gadie Rins" and "Bonny Udny" describe lovely places. Other songs tell stories about love, sometimes between a rich person and a servant. A well-known example is "The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter" (Child Ballad 110). This song was even recorded by the band Steeleye Span as "Royal Forrester."

Soldiers' Tales

Sometimes, soldiers from Highland military groups ended up working in bothies. So, some ballads are about soldiers meeting young women. "The Trooper and the Maid" is one such song. The most famous soldier song is "The Bonnie Lass o' Fyvie" (also known as Pretty Peggy-O). Many artists, including Simon and Garfunkel, have recorded it. Another song, "The Forfar Sodger," talks about the Peninsular War (1808–1814) and was still being sung in the 1950s.

Bothy Ballads Today

Bothy ballads are an important part of Scottish history and music. People still enjoy and study them today.

Notable Recordings and Shows

In the mid-1960s, a TV channel called Grampian Television made two shows called Bothy Nichts. These shows recreated what it was like to hear bothy songs. A sad song might be followed by a joke or a funny song. While real bothy gatherings rarely had musical instruments or women present, the TV shows sometimes included them. Famous music collectors like Alan Lomax and Hamish Henderson recorded bothy songs from singers like John Strachan, Jimmy MacBeath, and Davie Stewart.

Keeping the Music Alive

Sometimes, people would perform "diddling." This is a type of wordless singing, like humming a tune without words. It was often done between songs or to calm young children. Organizations like the Traditional Music and Song Association help keep the bothy ballad tradition alive for new generations.

Listening In

If you want to hear more, the Scottish history podcast Stories of Scotland talks about bothy ballads in its very first episode.

See also

• Cornkister
• The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection
• Mess John