"Coulter's Candy ("Ally Bally, Ally Bally Bee") YouTubeVideo With Comments, And Lyrics From A Mudcat Folk Music Discussion Thread

bigmanio, Jan 27, 2008

Old Childrens nursery song for all ages [Coulter's Candy/Ali Bali Bee]

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post departs from this blog's usual focus on African American cultural examples or cultural examples from other Black people around the world by showcasing a YouTube video of the Scottish song "Coulter's Candy (also known as "Allee Ballee, Allee Ballee Bee").

This post also includes information and comments about "Coulter's Candy ("Allee Ballee, Allee Ballee Bee").this song from the online Mudcat folk music discussion forum.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, socio-cultural, and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the composers of versions of this song and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

Thanks also to the producer and publisher of the video that is embedded in this pancocojams post.
-snip-
The Scottish song "Coulter's Candy" ("Allee Ballee,Allee Ballee Bee") includes the referent "mammy".
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/10/information-about-word-mammy-and.html for the related pancocojams post entitled "Information About The Word "Mammy" And Information About & An Example Of The Tom & Jerry Cartoon Character "Mammy Two Shoes"."

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE MUDCAT FOLK MUSIC DISCUSSION THREAD ABOUT THE SCOTTISH SONG "COULTER'S CANDY"

[I've added numbers to these comments for referencing purposes only.]

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=1183

1. Subject: Lyr Add: COULTER'S CANDY (plainer English version)

From: BK

Date: 13 Oct 99 - 09:36 PM
"I got a message requesting the plainer language version of "Coulter's Candy" I'd mentioned in a past thread. 

 [...]

COULTER'S CANDY (plainer English version)

CH [chorus]

Allee Ballee, Allee Ballee Bee,

sittin' on yer Mammie's Knee

Weepin' for another bawbee

'ta buy some Coulter's candy

 

Here comes Coulter down the street,

sweatin' in the summer heat

all the children 'round his feet

cryin' for Coulter's candy

 

Poor wee Jean was a-lookin' mighty thin,

just a bag of bones covered over with skin

now she 's sportin a wee double chin

from eatin' Coulter's candy

 

Now (wee) brother Johnny's cryin' too

so what can a poor wee mommy do

but give them another penny or two

ta' buy some Coulter's candy

 

You know when Robbie comes around

you'll hear him singing his well-known song

come buy my candy and grow up strong

come buy my Coulter's candy

 

Another verse from an Australian friend:

 

Now the days are short and the nights are cold

an' we're all sittin' on the Dole

but there's still another penny in the sugar bowl

ta buy some Coulter's candy.

 

This version is a lot easier for me to sing, & American audiences to comprehend. We get a lot of compliments on it."
-snip-
"Dole" = [on government assistance/welfare]

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2. Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy

From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca

Date: 21 Jan 01 - 11:51 PM

"From what I gather, the Coulter's Candy comes from the "border" areas between Scotland and England. Coulter was the traveller who sold his candy out of his wagon directly to the kids.

I learned the song from Patrick Crilly, an oil engineer who was in Halifax for about 10 months a few years ago. It's an excellent song, with many many verses."

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3. Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy

From: GUEST,Boab

Date: 22 Jan 02 - 12:55 AM

 
"I have always [ I could be wrong!] introduced this as a Dumfries street-song. I sing a "Canadianised" version for the kids over here. The "bawbee" becomes a penny, the "thrifty" becomes a piggy-bank etc.."

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4. Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy

From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar

Date: 22 Jan 02 - 10:10 AM

"Robert Coultart sold candy in the streets of Galashields and all the Border towns. He made it on his fire - I've stood in the room. He died in 1880, of a benign tumour, which seems to explain his eccentric character. The candy was hard and flavoured with aniseed. I've identified some ten verses in all, some made by him, some added by singers along the way.

My guess is that the song was originally Sugar Candy till Coultard turned it into an early advertising jingle. The tune has all kinds of interesting relatives."…

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5.   Subject: RE: Lurics; Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)

From: Fiona

Date: 17 Dec 03 - 06:34 AM

 
"We had slightly different verses to the ones in the threads above. The burroo is the dole.

 

Poor wee soul, you're looking awfay thin,

A skittle o' bones covered ower wi' skin,

But soon you'll be gettin' a wee double chin

Wi' eatin' Coulters candy

 

Livin's awfay hard the noo,

Faithers signin' oan the buroo,

But Mammys saved a penny for you,

Tae buy some Coulters candy"

**
6. Subject: RE: Lurics; Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)

From: GUEST,Anne Croucher

Date: 17 Dec 03 - 07:46 PM

"Another verse

 

Come my boy my fine wee man

Run down the road, fast as you can

Pay the money to the sweetie man

For a bag of Coulter's Candy

 

I first hear the song with just three verses in The Railway, Fratton Southsea Hants back in the early 70s. It was the mammy's knee, wee Jeannie (rickle of bone) and Little Annie's greetin too verses."

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7. Subject: RE: Lyrics: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)

From: Metchosin

Date: 18 Dec 03 - 01:47 AM

 
"My old Granny from Scotland (came to Canada late 1800's, early 1900's) used to sing this for us too, but she never sang "Coulter's" candy, just sugar candy.

Her version:

Owa Dowa, Owa Dowa Dee

Sitting on her mamies knee

Greetin' fur a bonnie bawbee

Tae buy a sugar candy"

**
8. Subject: RE: MUS ADD: Coulter's candy

From: GUEST,Christine

Date: 15 Nov 05 - 05:48 PM

"I have a memoir from my great grandmother where she gives a description of the man who sang this song at the railway station as she travelled to Galashields. She described him thus: "At the railway station a man called Coulter met the trains. He was a peculiar man, wore a number of waistcoats and sold candy and sang this song as he walked along the platform: ally bally, ally bally bee...etc

she then gives three verses of the song...

Christine Lynch, Nova Scotia, Canada "

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9. Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)

From: Joe Offer

Date: 23 Jul 09 - 02:40 AM

"Not much in the Traditional Ballad Index on this song, but I think it's worth posting:

Coulter's Candy

AUTHOR: unknown

EARLIEST DATE: 1948 (Montgomerie)

[...]

FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland)

[…]

DESCRIPTION: "Ally, bally, ally bally bee, Sittin' on yer mammy's knee, Greetin' for anither bawbee, Tae buy mair Coulter's candy." The parents feed the slender boy on candy, say he will grow up to go to sea, or will later buy candy for them"

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10. Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)

From: Big Tim

Date: 23 Jul 09 - 09:17 AM

"Ewan MacVicar devotes 9 pages to this song in his book 'Doh Ray Me, When Ah Wis Wee: Scots children's song and rhymes' (Birlinn, 2007).

Here comes Coulter doon the street,

A big lum hat upon his heid,

He's been roon aboot aa the toon,

Singin and sellin candy. !”…"

 
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11. Subject: RE: lyr/Origins: Coulter's Candy (Caulter's ?)

From: GUEST

Date: 07 May 10 - 04:17 PM

"A thousand years ago - when I was a lad growing up in Newcastle, I heard a version with this as the chorus:

Ally bally, ally bally bee

Baby's high on LSD

Looks like sugar but it's not for tea

Selling Coulter's Candy

 

There was a verse about selling it through the neighbourhood ice cream van that came around

 

Does anyone know anything of this warped version and who sang it and what the rest of the lyrics are?"

** 

11. Subject: RE: Origins: Coulter's Candy

From: GUEST,Ally

Date: 15 Oct 23 - 12:12 PM

"This song was the bane of my life as a kid, along with many other Allys I am sure!"

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12. Subject: RE: Origins: Coulter's Candy

From: GUEST

Date: 15 Oct 23 - 02:15 PM

"According to Wikipedia the song

> It was written by a former Galashiels weaver, Robert Coltart (1832–1880)

[…]

Murray Shoolbraid's notes in the Digital Tradition cite Buchan to the effect that "Coulter" was in fact a Scottish candy-seller named Robert Coltart who was active around 1900. Ewan McVicar reported on the Ballad-L mailing list that "Coulter's Candy was made and sold by Robert Coltart, a weaver in Galashiels. He stamped his name on every piece and flavoured it with aniseed. He sold it all round the Borders fairs, attracting customers by playing his tune on his penny?whistle and singing out?his song. An early advertising jingle. He died in 1880?aged 48." “…

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