Feeing Time (I), The

DESCRIPTION: "A frien' and I struck frae Mulguy" for Glasgow; they meet a girl on her way to feeing day. The singer lures her into a pub, and they drink the day away. She says she has lost her fee; he promises to wed her, and she is "glad she lost the feeing time."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1901 (Ford)
KEYWORDS: love courting drink work marriage
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber)) Ireland
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Ford-VagabondSongsAndBalladsOfScotland, pp. 323-325, "The Feeing Time" (1 text, 1 tune)
Ord-BothySongsAndBallads, pp. 82-83, "The Feeing Time" (1 text)
Roud #2516
RECORDINGS:
Michael Gallagher, "The Hiring Time" (on IRTunneyFamily01)
BROADSIDES:
Murray, Mu23-y1:036, "The Feeing Time," James Lindsay Jr. (Glasgow), 19C; also Murray, Mu23-y1:037, "The Feeing Time," James Lindsay Jr. (Glasgow), 19C [not the same as the preceding], Murray, Mu23-y3:023, "The Feeing Time," James Lindsay (Glasgow), 19C [also distinct]
NLScotland, L.C.1270(018), "The Feeing Time," unknown, c. 1845; also L.C.Fol.178.A.2(067), "The Feeing Time," James Lindsay (Glasgow), c. 1870, L.C.Fol.70(35b), "The Feeing Time," Poet's Box (Dundee), c. 1890
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Hiring Fair" (plot)
SAME TUNE:
Craigmaddie Muir (per broadsides Murray, Mu23-y1:036, Mu23=y3:023, NLScotland, L.C.Fol.178.A.2(067))
NOTES [67 words]: Not to be confused with "The Feein' Time (II)," which is a complaint about work similar to "The Barnyards o' Delgaty." The song is also very similar to the Irish song "The Hiring Fair," with which it even shares some lyrics. I have split them only very tentatively; it's possible that some versions may be mixed or misfiled.
To earn one's fee was to go to a hiring fair and be taken on for a position. - RBW
File: Ord082

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