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Wee Cooper O'Fife

Song performed by Burl Ives

2 min
estimated reading 8
complete sections 6.48
algorithmic grade estimate

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319
Native text
2255 characters
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70%
Revision
1319505460 · 2025-10-30T05:43:56Z
Key vocabulary

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recorded6 uses in this article Scottish3 uses in this article Cooper3 uses in this article Frank3 uses in this article Daughter2 uses in this article beating2 uses in this article country2 uses in this article version2 uses in this article ballad2 uses in this article having2 uses in this article Hunter2 uses in this article Season2 uses in this article album2 uses in this article Other2 uses in this article sheep2 uses in this article which2 uses in this article Collection1 uses in this article University1 uses in this article castrated1 uses in this article certainly1 uses in this article

Overview

"Wee Cooper O'Fife" (Roud 117) 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". The title of the song is also a pun that plays on the name of Cupar, a town in Fife. 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 for his debut album Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger. It has also been recorded by Hedy West, Ed McCurdy, and Ian Campbell. 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.

Similar songs

Other versions of the song are known as "Dan Doo", "The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin" or "Little Old Man Lived Out West".

The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin

"The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin" is an English Child ballad 277. In this song, a man has married a woman of higher birth than him. She scorns the household labor. The man kills a wether (castrated male sheep), skins it, and wraps her in it. He declares that he can not beat her, but he can certainly beat a wether's skin. She recants her refusal and works. In other variants, such as "Ruggleton's Daughter of Iero", he does not have a pretext for beating her.

Dan Doo

Dan Doo is a British folk song that was brought to the United States. Max Hunter also recorded the song. The version he recorded is part of the Max Hunter Song Collection at the University of Missouri. Frank Proffitt recorded it on Frank Proffitt Sings Folk Songs on Folkways Records. It has been published as a children's ballad and a folk song. Versions performed by Fred Smith and Frank Payne have also been recorded. The Library of Congress has a recording of it.

Risseldy Rosseldy

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.

Popular culture

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

See also

*Peat Fire Flame, an album by The Corries * List of Scottish country dances

External links

*"The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin" *"Ruggleton's Daughter of Iero"

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