Cushie Butterfield
| "Cushie Butterfield" | |
|---|---|
| Song by George "Geordie" Ridley | |
| Written | c1862 |
| Published | 1862 |
| Lyricist(s) | George "Geordie" Ridley |
| Language | English (Geordie) |
"Cushie Butterfield" is a famous Geordie folk song written in the 19th century by Geordie Ridley, in the style of the music hall popular in the day. It is regarded by many as the second unofficial anthem of Tyneside after Blaydon Races.
This now famous local piece pokes fun at one of the many (at the time) whitening-stone sellers. The stone, made of baked clay (or "yella clay") was used to clean and decorate the stone steps leading up to the front door of the many terrace houses in the area (The material, or similar, was in common use throughout the country). Ridley had to leave the area for a while when the song initially caused consternation with the real live stone sellers. It is apparently the last song written by him.
The song was first published in 1862 by Thomas Allan in his book of a collection of Tyneside songs.
The music was by Harry Clifton (1832–1872) originally composed and performed by him as "Pretty Polly Perkins of Paddington Green", though possibly not published in the original version until a year or two after the words to "Cushey Butterfield" had appeared in print.
The version below is taken from the 1873 edition of the book, now titled "A Choice collection of Tyneside songs, by Wilson, Corvan, Mitford, Gilchrist, Robson, Harrison ... with the lives of the authors, illustrated with views of the town and portraits of the poets and eccentrics of Newcastle". It appears on pages 220 & 221.
This version is as follows:
CUSHEY BUTTERFIELD'
Air – “Pretty Polly Perkins of Paddington Green”
THE LAST SONG WRITTEN BY GEORGE RIDLEY.
Aw's a broken hearted keelman and Aw's owerheed in luv
Wiv a yung lass in Gyetshead an’ aw caals her me duv;
Her nyem's Cushy Butterfield, an’ she sells yella clay,
An’ her cusin is a muckman, an’ they caall him Tom Gray.
KORUS.
She's a big lass an' a bonny one,
An' she likes her beer;
An, they call her Cushy Butterfield,
An' aw wish she was here.
...
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