What's A' the Steer, Kimmer?

DESCRIPTION: "What's a' the steer, kimmer, what's a the steer? Jamie he is landed, and soon will be here; Gae lace your bonnet blue, lassie...." Dress in your best; call the piper; prepare a feast, for Jamie is landed
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1840 (sheet music published by Henry Prentiss)
KEYWORDS: return clothes food Jacobite
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
BillyHolmesComicLocalLyrics, pp. 47-48, "What's A' the Steer, Kimmer" (1 text)
Roud #23930
NOTES [88 words]: No one seems to call this a Jacobite song, but the reference to Jamie landing certainly seems to refer to the 1715 Jacobite rebellion and the arrival of the Old Pretender, James III and VIII, as the rebellion was failing. This view is strengthened by the fact that, at least once, the song was rewritten to refer to Charlie, i.e. Bonnie Prince Charlie, rather than his father.
The sheet music in the Levy Collection lists Alexander Lee as the composer, but the words are older and seem to have had at least one other tune. - RBW
Last updated in version 7.0
File: BHWhaSte

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