October 2013 Folk Song

The Ambleside Online Folk Song Rotation for October 2013 is a Yorkshire Anthem entitled

ON ILKLEY MOOR BAHT 'AT

I found a lovely YouTube video of this song, but it strays from traditional midway, so I'll post another version at the bottom of this post. In the middle I will post the words. If you want to be able to sing along with the video with your kids you should print out the words so the video can be full screen.

Wheear 'as ta bin sin ah saw thee,
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at?!
Wheear 'as ta bin sin ah saw thee?

On Ilkla Moor baht 'at?!
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at?!

Tha's been a cooartin' Mary Jane
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Tha's been a cooartin' Mary Jane| 

On Ilkla Moor baht 'at 
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at 
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at

Tha's bahn t'catch thi deeath o'cowd
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Tha's bahn t'catch thi deeath o'cowd 

On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at

Then we shall ha' to bury thee
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Then we shall ha' to bury thee 

On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at 

Then t'worms 'll cum and eat thee oop
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Then t'worms 'll cum and eat thee oop

On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at

Then ducks 'll cum and eat oop t'worms
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Then ducks 'll cum and eat oop t'worms

On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at

Then we shall go an' ate oop ducks
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Then we shall go an' ate oop ducks 

On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at 

Then we shall all 'ave etten thee
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
Then we shall all 'ave etten thee 

On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at

That's wheer we get us oahn back
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
That's wheer we get us oahn back 

On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at
On Ilkla Moor baht 'at

Now, I don't speak Yorkshire, and I don't even pretend to on TV, but here is an effort at partial translation: 

The basic drift that I get, other than not knowing where (or what moor) Ilka Moor is... The main lines are:

Where have you been since I saw thee on Ilkla Moor without a hat?

Thou's been a'courtin Mary Jane on Ilkla Moor without a hat.

Thou's bound to catch thy death of cold on Ilkla Moor without a hat.

Then we'll have to bury thee on Ilkla Moor without a hat.

Then worms will come and eat thee up on Ilkla Moor without a hat.

Then ducks will come to eat up the worms on Ilkla Moor without a hat.

Then we shall go and eat up ducks on Ilkla Moor without a hat.

Then shall we all have eaten thee on Ilkla Moor without a hat.

That's where we get our own back on Ilkla Moor without a hat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What a funny song! For most of our kids I guess we just want to keep it in Yorkshire... the less they understand the better until they get older! ::heh:: ::heh:: But make sure they wear their hat when they go out...!



What fun this post has been for me! :)