“The Cuckoo's Nest (II)”
Description
Lyric song in praise of the female "cuckoo's nest." Behind a thorn bush a man and woman are busy "hairing at the cuckoo's nest," which " isn't easy found"
Long description
Lyric song in praise of the female "cuckoo's nest." Behind a thorn bush a man and woman are busy "hairing at the cuckoo's nest." "It is thorned, it is sprinkled, it is compassed all around/It is thorned, it is sprinkled, and it isn't easy found"; Chorus: "Hi the cuckin', ho the cuckin', hi the cuckoo's nest...I'll gie onybody a a shilling and a bottle o' the best/If they'll ramble up the feathers o' the cuckoo's nest"
Notes
Three songs (two erotic) share this tune, which is also a common fiddle tune. "Cuckoo's Nest (I)" and "Cuckoo's Nest (II)" overlap some, but as one is always a ballad while the other is really a lyric song, I've split them. (They're most easily distinguished by the chorus; in (I) the man expresses his preferences in women, in (II) he doesn't.) Better check out both, though -- and "The Magpie's Nest." - PJS
Kennedy cites the text in Ford, "The Bonnie Brier Bush," as an offshoot of this. Offshoot it may be, but it's not the same song, and Ford indicates no tune. Kennedy is overreaching. Again. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "The Cuckoo's Nest (I)" (subject, tune)
- cf. "The Magpie's Nest" (tune)
References
- DT, CUKOO3
- BI, RcTCN02