We’re a’ Noddin’

Air to which “The Nervous Family” is sung.  

From Montrose, or the Children of the Mist (1822), a play adapted from Sir Walter Scott’s Tales of My Landlord.

For full citation, see The Traditional Tune Archive: The Semantic Index of North American, British and Irish traditional instrumental music with annotations, formerly known as The Fiddler’s Companion.

https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:We%27re_a_Nodding:

 

WE’RE A NODDING. AKA - “Ae Noddin’,” “We’re a’ Noddin’.” Scottish, Air (2/4 time). C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. “We’re a Nodding” was a humerous mid-19th century song that was included in a musical play based on Sir Walter Scott’s Tales of My Landlord, called Montrose, or the Children of the Mist (1822), staged at Covent Garden Theatre in February of that year. It was sung by Miss Stephens (who also sang “Charley is My Darling”) and received an encore after it was first sung. The music was selected by Bishop from existing Scotch airs. Robert Burns “corrected” the existing words for the Scots Musical Museum vol. 6 (1803, Song 523, p. 540) published under the title “Gudeen to you kimmer” (’Good evening to you, gossipy woman’) with a different tune:

 

Gudeen to you kimmer

And how do you do?

Hiccup, quo’ kimmer,

The better that I’m fou.

 

Chorus:

 

We’re a’ noddin, nid nid nodding,

We’re a’ nodding at our house at hame,

We’re a’ noddin, nid nid nodding,

We’re a’ nodding at our house at hame.

Kate sits i’ the neuk,

Suppin hen-broo;

Deil tak Kate

An’ she be na noddin too!

How’s a’ wi’ you, kimmer

And how do ye fare?

A pint o’ the best o’t,

And twa pints mair.

How’s a’ wi’ you, kimmer,

And how do ye thrive;

How mony bairns hae ye?

Quo’ kimmer, I hae five.

Are they a’ Johny’s?

Eh! atweel no:

Twa o’ them were gotten

When Johny was awa.

Cats like milk

And dogs like broo;

Lads like lasses weel,

And lasses lads too.