Miner’s Lullaby

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Coorie doon, coorie doon, coorie doon, my darling
Coorie doon, my dear (repeat)

Coorie doon my dear an’ in yer ear, while stars light up the sky,
I’ll sing a song, a slumber song, a miner’s lullaby
Coorie doon, coorie doon, coorie doon, my darling
Coorie doon, my dear (repeat)

Yer daddy’s in the darkness darling, darkness, dust and damp,
So we may hie oor milk, oor meal, oor fire an’ oor lamp
Coorie doon, coorie doon, coorie doon, my darling
Coorie doon, my dear (repeat)

Yer daddy’s howkin’ coal my darling, doon the Kirby main
Yer daddy’s howkin’ coal my darlin’, for his ain wee wean
Coorie doon, coorie doon, coorie doon, my darling
Coorie doon, my dear (repeat)

Yer daddy coories doon my darling, doon in a three fit seam
So we may coorie doon my darling, coorie doon an’ dream
Coorie doon, coorie doon, coorie doon, my darling
Coorie doon, my dear (repeat)

Coorie doon my dear an’ in yer ear, while stars light up the sky,
I’ll sing a song, a slumber song, a miner’s lullaby
Coorie doon, coorie doon, coorie doon, my darling
Coorie doon, my dear (repeat)

This is my version of Matt McGinn’s song which varies only slightly from the original. I was unaware when I saw the original in 'The Scottish Folksinger' that it was such a recently written song. It has established a place in the oral tradition.

My younger daughter doesn’t like to imagine her daddy in the dark and damp to we often edit and adapt the words to suit our own circumstances.

Miner’s Lullaby

Original version as it appears in The Scottish Folksinger, ascribed to Matt McGinn

Coorie doon, coorie doon, coorie doon ma daurlin’, coorie doon the day (repeat)
Lie doon ma dear, and in your ear, tae help you close your eye
I’ll sing a song, a slumber song, a miner’s lullaby
Your daddy’s doon the mine, ma daurlin’, doon in the Curlby Main
Your daddy’s howkin’ coal ma daurlin’, for his ain wee wean
Coorie doon, coorie doon, coorie doon ma daurlin’, coorie doon the day (repeat)

There’s darkness doon the mine ma daurlin’, daurkness, dust and damp
But we must hae oor heat, oor light, oor fire and oor lamp
Your daddy coories doon, ma daurlin’, doon in a three foot seam
So you can coorie doon, ma daurlin’, coorie doon and dream

Replacement verses for Gracie

Your daddy’s haulin’ nets, ma daurlin, trawlin’ through the night
So we may coorie doon, ma daurlin’, till the morning’ light
Coorie doon ma dear an’ don’t ye fear, While Mummy cuddles you
Coorie doon, ma dear, yer mummy’s near, just sleep the whole night through