A favourite from the Clancy Brothers repertoire; traditional Scots song… Interestingly, there was a singer by the name of Nancy Whiskey from Scotland! It appears to date in one form or another to the very turn of the 19th century with the city cited as London rather than the Calton of the more popular version. Calton was a town in its own right and alongside Glasgow, but is now a district of today’s larger Glasgow – which is why some singers will simply sing “a Glasgow weaver”.
Jos. Morneault
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- Edition – Bod3635 Imprint Names: Jennings, J. Imprint Locations: London Date between 1790 and 1840 Imprint: Printed and sold by J. Jennings, No. 15, Water-lane, Fleet- street Ballad – Roud Number: 883 Title: Nancy Whisky http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/search/roud/883
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- Edition – Bod9588 Imprint Names: Croshaw, C. Imprint Locations: York Date between 1814 and 1850 Imprint: C. Croshaw, Printer, Coppergate, York Ballad – Roud Number: 883 Title: Nancy Whisky http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/search/roud/883
I am a weaver, a Calton weaver.
I am a rash and a roving blade.
I have silver in my pockets,
And I follow the roving trade
Chorus:
Whiskey, whiskey, Nancy whiskey
Whiskey, whiskey, Nancy O!
As I walked into Glasgow city
Nancy Whiskey I chanced to smell
I walked in, sat down beside her
Seven long years I loved her well
The more I kissed her, the more I loved her
The more I kissed her, the more she smiled
Soon I forgot my mother’s teaching
Nancy soon had me beguiled
Now I rose early in the morning
To slake my thirst, it was my need!
I tried to rise but I was not able
Nancy had me by the knees.
So I’m going back to the Calton weaving;
I’ll surely make those shuttles fly,
For I made more at the Calton weaving
Than ever I did in a roving way!
So come all ye weavers, ye Calton weavers
Come all ye weavers where e’re ye be!
Beware of Whiskey, Nancy Whiskey;
She’ll ruin you like she ruined me!