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Wee Willie Gray

[ Roud V5050 ; Robert Burns]

Tony Cuffe and Rod Paterson sang Wee Willie Gray in 1996 on the Linn anthology The Complete Songs of Robert Burns Volume 2. Rod Paterson also sang The Grey Twins, a medley of Wee Willie Gray and Duncan Gray, in the same year on his album of Robert Burns songs, Songs From the Bottom Drawer. And Rod Paterson and Ian Hardie sang The Dusty Miller and Wee Willie Gray in 2001 on Jock Tamson’s Bairns’ Greentrax album May You Never Lack a Stone. They noted:

In re-writing these older songs, Burns deals with a favourite theme in two childlike compositions. The origin of Wee Willie Gray is, in fact, a nursery rhyme: Wee Totum Fogg / Sits upon a creepie / Half an ell o’ gray / Wad be his coat and breekie. The tunes are Lowland double hornpipes.

Mick West sang a medley of Wee Willie Gray (Scots Musical Museum, no. 514), The Carles o’ Dysart (Scots Musical Museum, no. 392) and Tail Toddle on his 2009 Greentrax CD Sark o’ Snaw. He noted:

In his writing, Burns did not show much interest toward popular children’s verse, but the Wee Willie Gray fragment is a variation to the tune of a nursery-song called Wee Totum Fogg:

Wee Totum Fogg Sits upon a creepie;
Halfan ell o’gray wad be his coat and breekie.

The original verse depicts the homely figure of Totum Fogg, sitting on a low stool (creepie) with a length of cheap cloth for his clothing; Burns’ version clothes Willie Grey almost in a faerie guise, with the provisions of nature—willow, rose, lily-flower, and feathers. As the lyrics are in fragment, not much is known of Burns’ intention for them, but they present an easygoing, lively snapshot. The tune is also called Wee Totum Fogg.

Lyrics

Jock Tamson’s Bairns sing Wee Willie Gray

Wee Willie Gray and his leather wallet,
Peel a willow wand, to be him boots and jacket.
The rose upon the brier will be him hose an’ doublet,
The rose upon the brier will be him hose an’ doublet.

Wee Willie Gray and his leather wallet,
Twice a lilly-flower will be him sark and gravat.
Feathers o’ a flee wad feather up his bonnet,
Feathers o’ a flee wad feather up his bonnet.