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The Cuckoo’s Nest

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Roy Palmer: Everyman’s Book of English Country Songs Norman Buchan, Peter Hall: The Scottish Folksinger

The Cuckoo’s Nest is a song and a Morris Dance tune.

John Strachan sang a fragment of The Cuckoo’s Nest to Alan Lomax and Hamish Henderson in Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, on 16 July 1951. It was included in 2002 on his Rouder album in the Alan Lomax Collection, Songs From Aberdeenshire.

This bawdy song is from the repertoire of Jeannie Robertson of Aberdeen. Her recordings of this song can be found on her Collector EP I Ken Where I’m Going (recorded in London, January 1959), on the anthology Songs of Seduction (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 2; Caedmon 1961; Topic 1968), as the title track of her Prestige / Transatlantic LP The Cuckoo’s Nest and Other Scottish Folk Songs and on the Saydisc CD anthology Songs of the Travelling People (recorded in Aberdeen in 1953). Norman Buchan commented in the Collector EP’s sleeve notes:

A flourishing weed in fairly recent Scottish cultural developments was that phenomenon known as “The Kailyard (cabbage-patch) School”, which took its name from the “kailyard” reference in a song called The Bonny Briar Bush. The writers in this school sedulously fostered the curious conception of the average Scotsman as a pawky peasant, stupid, sentimental and altogether sickeningly coy. Here in The Cuckoo’s Nest is a song calculated to smash any surviving remnants of kailyardery. This is a piece of healthy bawdry, set in a real and not a phoney kailyard. The cuckoo’s nest itself is, of course, a conventional sex symbol, of a kind perhaps, more often found in English folksong.

Ewan MacColl sang The Cuckoo’s Nest in 1956 on his Riverside album Scots Drinking Songs. He also sang it in 1968 on his and Peggy Seeger’s Argo album The Wanton Muse. He noted on the first album:

The veneer of Calvinism is wafer-thin as far as the Scots working class is concerned. A few drinks are all that is needed to set the company singing songs like this one. I learned it from Jeannie Robertson.

Owen Hand sang The Cuckoo’s Nest in 1966 on his Transatlantic album I Loved a Lass. He noted:

A very thinly disguised bawdy song from the repertoire of Jeannie Robertson.

Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick played the tune of Cuckoo’s Nest in 1967 on their album Rags, Reels and Airs; this track was also included in 2002 on the Topic anthology The Acoustic Folk Box. And Martin Carthy played it in December 2004 live at Ruskin Mill.

Eddie Butcher of Magilligan, Co. Derry, sang one verse of The Cuckoo’s Nest in July 1968 to Hugh Shields. This recording was included on the 3 CD set that accompanied Shields’ 2011 book on Eddie Butcher, All the Days of His Life.

Cecilia Costello sang a one-verse fragment of Cuckoo’s Nest to Roy Palmer in 1971. This was included in 2014 on her Musical Traditions anthology Old Fashioned Songs.

The Druids sang The Cuckoo’s Nest in 1971 on their Argo album Burnt Offering. This track was also included in 1974 on the Argo anthology The World of the Countryside. They noted on their album:

A very skilful symbol for a part of the female anatomy which receives its fair share of allegory and symbolism in English popular music past and present.

Barry Dransfield sang Cuckoo’s Nest in 1972 on Ashley Hutchings and Friends’ first Morris Dance album, Morris On. This recording was also included in 1995 on the anthology Troubadours of British Folk Vol. 2, in 1997 on Robin and Barry Dransfield’s Free Reed anthology Up to Now, and in 2005 on the Ashley Hutchings anthology Burning Bright. A live recording by the Albion Dance Band from 1976 can be found on The Guv’nor Vol. 2, and another one by the Morris On Band on Morris On the Road. Two versions of this tune were also published in the Ashley Hutchings’ 1976 songbook, A Little Music.

An Albion Dance Band live performance of Cuckoo’s Nest from Folk Song ’76 at the Royal Festival Hall on 29 May 1976 was included in 2007 on their Talking Elephant album Dancing Days Are Here Again.

Spriguns of Tolgus sang Cockoo’s Nest on their 1974 album Rowdy Dowdy Day. The album was re-released in 2022 on Mandy Morton’s Cherry Red anthology, After the Storm.

Miriam Backhouse sang The Cuckoo’s Nest on the 1976 fundraiser album The Second Folk Review Record. The sleeve notes said it is

One of the most blatant versions of this song, and no further comment is really needed.

John Kirkpatrick played a set of Maid of The Mill (Bucknell), Cuckoo’s Nest (Longborough), and William and Nancy (Bledington) in 1976 on his Free Reed album of Morris dance tunes From the Cotswolds, Plain Capers. This set was also included in 1994 on his Topic anthology A Short History of John Kirkpatrick.

Joe Jones sang The Cuckoo’s Nest in a 1975 recording made by Mike Yates in Kent on the 1979 Topic album of songs, stories and tunes from English gypsies, Travellers. He noted:

The trio of songs given together, The Coachman, Bonny Black Hare, and The Cuckoo’s Nest, also appeared on 19^th century broadsides. The Coachman was titled The Jolly Driver by John Harkness of Preston in the 1840s. Harkness also printed a sheet bearing the words to The Bonny Black Hare, which unlike The Coachman and The Cuckoo’s Nest, appears to be a rather rare item today.

Jena Redpath and Rod Paterson sang Bonny Brier Bush on their 1989 album The Miller’s Reel, which is the soundtrack from the same-named universal love story devised by Donand Campbell from the songs and stories of Robert Burns (1759-1796), first broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland in 1986.

The Gaugers sang The Cuckoo’s Nest in a 1993 concert performance that was included in 2000 on their Sleepytown album No More Forever. They noted:

When Tom [Spiers] as a sixteen-year-old heard Jeannie Robertson sing this in the early 1960s, he was shocked to hear a woman sing ‘a dirty song”, for—even at that age—the symbolism was not lost on him. Extensive and ongoing study has persuaded him of the essential difference between bawdry of this sort and smut, the former having a direct honesty and affection while the latter prefers to snigger in its sleeve.

Simon Edwards sang The Cuckoo’s Nest in 1997 on his, Pete Morton’s and Roger Wilson’s Harbourtown album Urban Folk Vol. II. He noted:

The Cuckoo’s Nest is a traditional song—not one for the serious feminist I suppose. It’s a folk version of a rugby song sung at the back of the coach!

Aileen Carr sang The Cuckoo’s Nest in 2000 on her Greentrax album Green Yarrow. She noted:

Learned in part from Betsy Whyte. Hamish Henderson has described this piece, a favourite of Jeannie Robertson, as “a widely known and much sung Lallan port a beul”. The enduring ornithological ignorance of female traditional singers is only to be wondered at.

Kathryn Roberts sang Cuckoo’s Nest in 2001 on Equation’s EP The Dark Ages.

Alva performed three versions of The Cuckoo’s Nest in 2002 on their Beautiful Jo album Love Burns in Me: an Irish fiddle tune, a Lowlands Scots song, and Gaelic mouth music. They noted:

The origins of Gaelic mouth music may lie in providing music for dance in the absence of an instrument, or perhaps for amusing children. Our Gaelic version is inspired by the singing of Kitty McCleod from the Isle of Lewis. Vocalising an instrumental-type melody is an ancient vocal practice, known in English, Irish and Welsh traditions as ‘diddling’, ‘lilting’ or ‘chin music’.

Dave Arthur with Pete Cooper and Chris Moreton sang Rattle on the Stovepipe and played the tune Cuckoo’s Nest in 2002 on their WildGoose album of old time ballads and tunes from the British Isles and America, Return Journey. He noted:

The Cuckoo’s Nest—Several songs and tunes go by this title, all with attractive tunes. This particular one I learnt years ago, in my Morris dancing days. The Cuckoo’s Nest has, of course, got sexual implications, hence the link with Rattle on the Stovepipe.

There’s a thorn bush in the garden, where the lads and lasses meet
For it wouldn’t do to do the things they’re doing in the street,
And the last time I was there, I was very much impressed
With the young folk busy ruffling up the cuckoo’s nest.

English Acoustic Collective played a set of Robert Harbron’s tune St George’s Day and Cuckoo’s Nest on their 2004 album Ghosts. They noted:

Dawn on 23 April can be one of the best the year has to offer—but if you are looking at the ground when you hear the first cuckoo, the story is that you will be in it by the end of the year.

Jim Moray sang lead on The Cuckoo’s Nest in an Oysterband performance with a small audience at Bush Hall, London, in May 2004. This was released in the same year on ther Westpark album The Big Session Volume 1.

Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin played a live set of Snow Dove and Cuckoo’s Nest on their 2010 album Live in the Living Room. This track was also included in 2011 on the Leigh Folk Festival anthology Fire Feathers Felony & Fate. They also played Cuckoo’s Nest at Calstock Arts Centre on 10 May 2014. A recording of this concert was released in the same year on their album Live in Calstock.

Kirsty Potts sang Cuckoo’s Nest on her 2015 album The Seeds of Life. She noted:

I drew the words for this from a few sources: [Kirsty’s mother] Alison [McMorland], Jeannie Robertson of Aberdeen, Betsy Whyte of Montrose and some of my own. The tune comes from a fragment sung by John Strachan of Fyvie.

The Norfolk Broads sang The Cuckoo’s Nest on their 2017 CD In the Valley of the Flowers.

The Hungarian group Simply English sang Cuckoo’s Nest on their 2017 CD Long Grey Beard and a Head That’s Bald.

Kelly Oliver sang Cuckoo’s Nest on her 2018 CD Botany Bay. She noted:

I refused to sing all the traditional misogynistic lyrics of this song, so I altered some of the lyrics. They now tell a story of female defiance against unwanted affection.

Piers Cawley sang The Cuckoo’s Nest at a Trad Song Tuesday Twitter sing-around. He included his recording in 2020 on his download EP Trad Song Tuesdays Volume 0. He also sang in on his download album Isolation Sessions #2 where he noted:

One day I’ll run out of smut to put on these albums. But today is not that day. Usually in a folk courtship song, what happens is the bloke tries his best lines on the girl and she repeatedly rebuffs him before suddenly they’re at the church and getting married. Which is why, when I sing The Sweet Nightingale, I alter the last verse.

In this one though, there’s a sense of playfulness from both parties that I like. Enthusiastic consent is the only consent worth having.

Lyrics

John Strachan sings The Cuckoo’s Nest

(Spoken) And then there was anither that—I told you that one.

Twa an twa made the bed,
Twa an twa laid doon thegither.
Fin the bed began tae beat,
The een lay on abeen the ither.

(Spoken) And then there wis anither awfa good verse, I think, tis. What ist again? O, michty, I think I wrote that doon. What ist? O, aye, this is a good verse.

Some like the lassies that’s gey weel dressed,
And some like the lassies that’s ticht aboot the waist.
But it’s in among the blankets that I like best,
To get a jolly rattle at the cuckoo’s nest.

(Hamish Henderson, spoken) That’s glorious, that.

(John Strachan) It was always realistic, you know, their verses. And they were bloody clever, often.

Cecilia Costello sings Cuckoo’s Nest

Give to me the girl that’s pretty in the face,
Give to me the girl that’s slender in the waist.
Give to me the girl that’s nimble in the twist;
For the bottom of her belly is the cuckoo’s nest.

Barry Dransfield sings Cuckoo’s Nest

As I was a-walking one morning in May
I met a pretty fair maid and unto her did say:
“For love I am inclined and I’ll tell you my mind
That my inclination lies in your cuckoo’s nest.”

“My darling,” said she, “I am innocent and young,
And I scarcely can believe your false deluding tongue.
Yet I see it in your eyes and it fills me with surprise
That your inclination lies in my cuckoo’s nest.”

Chorus:
Some like a girl who is pretty in the face,
And some like a girl who is slender in the waist.
But give me a girl that will wriggle and will twist:
At the bottom of the belly lies the cuckoo’s nest.

“Then my darling,” says he, “if you see it in my eyes,
Then think of it as fondness and do not be surprised.
For I love you, my dear, and I’ll marry you, I swear,
If you let me clap my hand on your cuckoo’s nest.”

“My darling,” said she, “I can do no such thing,
For my mother often told me it was committing sin
My maidenhead to lose and my sense to be abused.
So have no more to do with my cuckoo’s nest.”

(Chorus)

“My darling,” says he, “it is not committing sin.
But common sense should tell you it is a pleasing thing,
For you were brought into this world to increase and do your best
And to help a man to heaven in your cuckoo’s nest.”

“Then my darling,” says she, “I cannot you deny,
For you’ve surely won my heart by the roving of your eye.
Yet I see it in your eyes that your courage is surprised,
So gently lift your hand in my cuckoo’s nest.”

(Chorus)

So this couple they got married and soon they went to bed
And now this pretty fair maid has lost her maidenhead.
In a small country cottage they increase and do their best
And he often claps his hand on her cuckoo’s nest.

(Chorus)

Aileen Carr sings The Cuckoo’s Nest

There is a thorn bush in oor kail yard,
There is a thorn bush in oor kail yard.
At the back o the bush there stands a lad and lass
And they’re busy, busy herrying at the cuckoo’s nest.

Chorus (after each verse):
Hi the cuck and ho the cuck and hi the cuckoo’s nest,
Hi the cuck and ho the cuck and hi the cuckoo’s nest.
I’ll gie onybody a shillin and a bottle o the best
If they’ll rumple up the feathers o the cuckoo’s nest.

I met him in the morning, I took him there at night;
He hadn’t been that way before, I had to keep him right.
He never would have found it, he never would have guessed
If I hadn’t shown him where to find the cuckoo’s nest.

I showed him where to find it, I showed him where to go
Through the brambles and the prickles where the wee cuckoos go.
From the minute that he found it he wouldn’t let me rest
Till he’d rumpled up the feathers o’ the cuckoo’s nest.

It is thornèd, it is sprinkled, it is compassed all around,
It’s tucked into a corner and it isn’t easy found.
I said young man you’re plundering, he said it wasn’t true,
But he left me wi the makins o a young cuckoo.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Terry Rigby for transcribing Barry Dransfield’s lyrics.