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Can ye Sew Cushions

from kist o dreams by Christina Stewart

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about

Robert Burns published a version of this song nearly 300 years ago. This is a family version which I got from a variety of sources including my aunts Margaret McKirdy and Chrys Todd. There are 'darker' versions in print, particularly in the chorus line which some have as 'Hee o wee o, what'll I dae wi ye, Black's the life that I lead wi ye, O'er many o ye, little for tae gie ye, Hee o wee o what'll I dae wi ye?'

lyrics

Can ye sew cushions, an can ye sew sheets?
Can ye sing balulow until the bairn sleeps?
Balulow lammie, Balulow lamb
Balulow lammie, ma bonnie wee one

Hee o wee o, what’ll I dae wi’ ye
Black’s the night, but Minnie’s here wi’ ye
Hee o wee o little for tae gie ye
Hee o wee o what’ll I dae wi’ ye?

I hung thy cradle on yon holly top,
An’ aye when the wind blew thy cradle did rock
Ye’re rockin’ fu’ sweetly on Minnie’s warm knee
Puir Daddy is rockin’ upon the cauld sea

Hush a bye bairnie, hush a bye dear
Does wee lammie ken that yer Daddy’s no here?
The wild wind is ravin’ thy minnies hairt’s sair,
The wild wind is ravin’, but ye dinna care

Can ye sew cushions, an can ye sew sheets?
Can ye sing balulow until the bairn sleeps?
Balulow lammie, Balulow dear
Balulow lammie, thy mammie is here

credits

from kist o dreams, released October 1, 2001

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about

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Christina Stewart Scotland, UK

A voice described as the aural equivalent of ‘sweet, organic honey drizzling slowly from a honey wand’ in Dirty Linen magazine. Christina is a singer, teacher, tradition bearer and musical explorer, singing in Gaelic, Scots and English. She belongs to Inverness, the Highland capital, where the Gaelic and Scots heritages of the north of Scotland meet. ... more

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