> Folk Music > Songs > The Soor Milk Cairt / Jogging up to Claudy / The Road to Clady

The Soor Milk Cairt / Jogging up to Claudy / The Road to Clady

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Mary Toney sang Jogging up to Claudy to Peter Kennedy and Sean O’Boyle, at Markethill, Co. Armagh, on 30 July 1952. This recording was included in 2012 on the Topic anthology of ballads sung by British and Irish traditional singers, Good People, Take Warning (The Voice of the People Volume 23). Steve Roud noted:

Far more popular than would appear from the handful of collected versions, this song is more normally associated with Scottish singers, and generally called The Sour Milk Cart. What may well be the original text can be seen on a Poet’s Box (Dundee) broadside, entitled Driving in tae Glesca in a Sour Milk Cairt, (see The Word on the Street website from the National Library of Scotland). It was written by Thomas Johnstone (1850-1911), a barber from Eaglesham, who was also a dab hand at song-making, and provided many a good song for music-hall artists like J.C. Macdonald, the popular comedian. The broadside has two spoken ‘patter’ sections, which betray its stage origins. The first reads:

When he was helpin’ me intae the cairt, he gies me a bit squeeze in the ribs,
Says I, “My man, keep your remarks til’ ye’re better acquainted.”

And in the second, she falls ‘head ower heels’ into the butter.

The Clutha sang The Soor Milk Cairt in 1974 on their Topic album of Scots ballads, songs and dance tunes, Scots Ballads, Songs & Dance Tunes. Don Martin noted:

The words of this song were written by Tam Johnstone (1850-1911), otherwise known as ‘The Calton Barber Poet’ or ‘Figaro’. Johnstone established a barber’s shop in Abercrombie Street, Calton, Glasgow, during the early 1870s, and about the same period he also became well-known as a songwriter. His shop became a mecca for music hall artistes, who could rely on Tam to speedily manufacture a song on any subject which took their fancy. Tam had a house at Eaglesham, Renfrewshire, where he spent his week-ends. On Monday mornings he was in the habit of obtaining a lift into Glasgow on the milk-cart which left Eaglesham at 3 o’clock. The song was based on a real romance between Dan Steel, the cart driver, and Maggie Watt. The words were originally published in a Glasgow weekly periodical The Professional and Authors’ Journal which printed many music hall songs. The tune is an adaptation of the Irish The Garden where the Praties grow.

Alison McMorland and Peta Webb sang Jogging Up to Claudy in 1980 on their eponymous Topic duo album Aliston McMorland & Peta Webb. Peta Webb also sang Jogging Up to Claudy in a 1989 recording on her Musical Traditions anthology The Magpie’s Nest. They noted on the Topic album:

The Green Banks of Yarrow and Jogging up to Claudy are unusual versions of songs common in both the Scots and Irish traditions.

Bobby Eaglesham sang Soor Milk Cairt in 1982 on his Fellside album Weather the Storm.

Alistair Russell sang The Soor Milk Cairt on his 1983 album Getting to the Border.

Adam McNaughtan sang The Soor Mulk Cairt in 1996 on his Greentrax album Last Stand at Mount Florida.

Claire Mann sang The Road to Clady in 1996 on Tabache’s Lochshore album Are You Willing?.

Jock Tamsons’s Bairns sang The Soor Milk Cairt in 2005 on their Greentrax album Rare. They noted:

An 1880’s account of a (true) romance between cart driver Dan Steel and a Maggie Watts, the song was given to J.C. Macdonald—a popular comedian of the time—by the author Tom Johnstone, who was affectionately known as The Calton Barber Poet or Figaro. Apparently a “Fresh Milk Cairt” travelled the same route but, travelling faster, left less time for romance.

Janet Weatherston sang Soor Mulk Cairt live at St Andrew’s in the Square, Glasgow, during Celtic Connections 2017. This was included in the same year on the TMSA DVD 101 Scottish Songs: The Wee Red Book 2.

Lyrics

Mary Toney sings Jogging up to Claudy

I am a country servant serving in Killoon,
A place you call New Hamilton, a brave old-fashioned town.
It’s being early in the morning just after three,
When I’m taking the road to Claudy, the old grey mare and me.

At the comer of the street a bus I chanced to pass,
And in the corner of the bus I spied a country lass.
Says I, “My bonny fair maid, will you come along with me,
For I’m taking the road to Claudy, the old grey mare and me.”

I got her up beside me; on the cart we sat.
I slipped me arm around her waist; we soon got in to chat.
The birds on the bushes, sweetly they did sing.
The blackbirds and the thrushes sure they made the valleys ring.

On the way my truelove stole away my heart,
And I’m jogging up to Claudy in my sour milk cart.

Cheeks as red as roses, eyes of bonny blue,
Dancing, glancing, she pierced me through and through.
She fairly won my fancy; stole away my heart,
And I’m jogging up to Claudy in my sour milk cart.

Claire Mann sings The Road to Clady

I am a country servant serving in Collon
In a place they call New Hamilton a grand old fashioned town
Twas early in the morning at the hour of three
When I set off for Clady, the old grey mare and me

In the corner of the street, a bus I chanced to pass
And in the corner of the bus I spied a country lass
Says I, my pretty fair maid come along with me
I’m going the road to Clady, the old grey mare and me

Chorus (after each verse):
Cheeks as red as roses, eyes a bonny blue
Dancing, dancing pierce me through and through
She fairly won my fancy stole away my heart
Jogging along to Clady on the sour milk cart

I asked her up beside me and on the cart she sat
I slipped an arm around her waist and soon began to chat
The birds in the bushes sweetly they did sing
The blackbirds and the thrushes how they made a forest ring

Well you’ve heard of lords and ladies making love in shady bowers
And how they whoe whilst by amongst the roses and the flowers
I’ll never forget that morning, cupid shot his dart
Jogging along on the sour milk cart

Jock Tamson’s Bairns sing The Soor Milk Cairt

Oh I am a country chappie and I’m serving at Polnoon,
A fairm near to Eaglesham, that fine auld-fashioned toon,
Whaur, wi’ the milk each mornin’, a little efter three
We tak’ the road the gither, that auld black horse and me.

Chorus (after each verse):
Wi’ cheeks sae red and rosie, and e’en sae bonnie blue,
Dancin’, glancin’ she pierced me through and through.
She fairly won ma fancy, and she stole awa’ ma hert,
Ridin’ into Glesca on the soor milk cairt.

Noo the ither mornin’ early as the Barlin we did pass
I happened tae foregither wi’ a braw young country lass.
Says I, “Ma braw young lassie an’ are ye gaun ma airt?
I wid drive ye intae Glesca on ma soor milk cairt.”

I raised her up beside me and we soon got on the crack,
I slipped my airm aroond her waist as by my side she sat.
I telt the auld, auld stones as the woods around us rang
Wi’ the lilting o’ the mavis and the blackbird’s cheery sang.

I’ve heard o’ lords and ladies making love in shady bowers
And hoo they woo’d and won amang the roses and the flowers.
I’ ne’er forget the morning that wee Cupid threw his dert
And made me pop the question on the soor milk cairt.

Weel her parents hae consented gin next term-time cams aroon,
I’m gaun tae buy a harness plaid and a braw new silken goon.
We’re settlin’ tae get marret just aboot next August Fair
An’ a’ oor auld acquaintances I hope to see them there.

The lass had never had a hurl in a carriage a’ her days
Sae when that I proposed we hae a coach an’ pair o’ greys.
“Na, na,” cried she, “The siller’s scarce, ye ken we canna spare’t
And I’d rather hae the jooglin’ o’ yir soor milk cairt.”