Wee Cooper O'Fife

"Wee Cooper O'Fife" is a Scottish folk song about a cooper who has "a braw new wife" who will not cook, clean, and sew in case she "spoil her comely hue". Verses get added, with one version having him put a sheep skin jacket on her and beating it. It was recorded by Burl Ives on 11 February 1941[1] for his debut album Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger. It has also been recorded by Hedy West, Ed McCurdy, and Ian Campbell.[2]

A town in Fife is called Cupar. This is a pun.

An American variation of the song, entitled "Risseldy Rosseldy", was sung by the school children in the 1963 film The Birds right before they were attacked by a swarm of birds. "Risseldy Rosseldy" was also featured as a musical number in Wee Sing in Sillyville.

The Wee Cooper O'Fife is also the name of a Scottish country dance devised by Hugh Foss to fit the tune of the folk song, which is unusual in having ten-bar rather eight-bar phrases.[3]

The song was part of the South Park Season "The Scoots", which is the fifth episode of the 22nd season.

See also

References
  1. Naxos: link
  2. Digital Tradition Folk Music Database: link
  3. Dance: The Wee Cooper O' Fife my.strathspey.org.
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