Sixteen Come Sunday- N. Kennedy (Aber) c.1955 Haslam
[My date, Kennedy came to the US about 1965. From Cliff Haslam: Songs and Ballads of Pub, Sea and shore. http://cliffhaslam.com/?page_id=191 His notes and an online bio of Kennedy follow.
Two versions were recorded (or one version with two titles) were recorded by Sandy Patton in 1966 when Norman was in the US:
"Sixteen Come Sunday," Ballads & Songs of Scotland 1968 3:28 Folk Legacy
"Wi' My Rovin' Eye," Scots Songs and Ballads 1968 3:20 (Topic Records 12T 178, 1968)
Haslam probably learned his version from the first title. Norman Kennedy from Aberdeen had several influences in his young life as a singer. As a boy he lived in the same street as Jeannie Robertson and her mother Maria, and near another giant of traveller singing stock, Davy Stewart. Jimmy MacBeath was an influence. Annual holdiays on Barra gave him a grounding in Gaelic culture and song through his teacher Annie Johnstone. Near Abderdeen Norman lean red songs his mother's relatives in the small village of Methlick. In 1963 he joined the Aberdeen Folk Club and became an accomplished traditional singer.
R. Matteson 2018]
Haslam: I learned this song from Norman Kennedy, one of the finest Scottish singers. He has been living in the United States for quite a number of years now. “Seventeen Come Sunday” is an English variant of this song, and “As I Roved Out” is an Irish version.
Chorus – Gordon Bok, Rene Gilbert, Glenn Jenkins
* * * *
Scots singer Norman Kennedy was born in Aberdeen and lived in a two bedroomed flat in King Street and was a popular performer during the 1960s.
He worked on the family farm where he learnt traditional Scottish farming techniques using old tools. During this hard work the family and their workers would sing traditional Scots songs and narrate traditional Scottish tales.
In 1966 he moved to the USA and he now lives in America though still comes back to Scotland to perform and give concerts throughout the Country and back in his home County of Aberdeenshire.
Sixteen Come Sunday- sung by Cliff Haslam, learned from Norman Kennedy of Aberdeenshire.
As I gaed up yon hieland hill,
I met a bonnie lassie
She gave me a wink wi’ the tail o’ her eye;
Ah, faith, but she was saucy!
[Chorus] Wi’ my rovin’ eye, Fal a diddle die,
Wi’ my rovin’ fal do derry, Wi’ my rovin’ eye.
Where are ye gang, my bonnie lass?
Where are ye gang my honey?
Where are ys gang, my bonnie lass?
For ‘baccy for my granny [chorus]
What is your name, my bonnie lass?
What is your name, my honey?
What is your name, my bonnie lass?
They cry me Bonnie Annie. ]chorus]
How auld are ye, my bonnie lass?
How auld are ye, my honey?
How auld are ye, my bonnie lass?
I’ll be sixteen come Sunday. [chorus]
Where dae ye sleep, my bonnie lass?
Where dae ye sleep, my honey?
Where dae ye sleep, my bonnie lass?
In a wee bed next to me mammy. [chorus]
Gin I was tae come tae your hoose then,
When the meen it’s shining clearly,
Will ye arise and let me in
Sae your mither would not hear me? [chorus]
Gin ye come doon tae my hoose then,
When the meen is shining clearly,
I’ll arise and let ye in
Sae my mither would not hear me [chorus]
When I got tae the lassie’s door,
I found that she was awaukened.
But long, long ere the morning came,
Her mither heard us talkin’. [chorus]
She went tae the grate tae poke up the fire
Tae see gin she would ken me,
But I shoved the auld wife intae the fire,
And bid my heels defend me. [chorus]
Oh, sodger, sodger, marry me noo,
It’s either noo or never!
Sodger, sodger, marry me noo,
For I am done forever! [chorus]
Come o’er the burn, my bonnie lass,
Blink o’er the burn, my honey,
For ye are a sweet and kindly lass
For a’ your cankered mammy! [chorus]