Lyr Req: The Toorie on His Bonnet

Subject: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: Metchosin
Date: 09 Dec 99 - 12:59 PM

I would like to find the full lyrics to one of the songs sung by my grandmother entitled The Toorie on His Bonnet (I'm not sure of the spelling of Toorie)

He went swinging into action
He's the centre of attraction
He's the pride of bonnie Scotland, so they say
What made the Jerries run
It was not his tommy gun
But the toorie on his bonnet
The red toorie on it
The red toorie oorie oorie ay

Does anyone know where I can find the complete words?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: Metchosin
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 03:28 AM

Help! I'm remembering some more of this but I still don't know what the order is or if there are any more lyrics. Twas the toorie on his bonnet
The bonnie toorie on it
The red toorie oorie oorie ay
He left his kilt and sporan
And off he went to war in
His red toorie oorie oorie ay

And what the hell's a toorie?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: sheila
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 08:52 AM

The toorie is the pom-pon decorating the top of the bunnet. My mother used to sing this song - I'll have to see if she remembers the rest of the words.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: Metchosin
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 11:40 AM

Thanks Sheila, I'd really appreciate it. I'm making a songbook for my Mum for Christmas. I could ask her for the lyrics but then she would know what I'm up to and I'd like some of the songs in it to be a surprise. She just thinks I'm collecting my grandfather's songs for historical purposes right now.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: Metchosin
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 12:05 AM

Help!! I still have been unable to track down all the lyrics for this song and it is the last one needed to complete the songbook for my Mum's Christmas present. Does anyone have any ideas where I might find the lyrics?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: Johnnie L
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 02:30 AM

The song"Toorie on his Bonnet" was if I remember properly ,recorded by the tenor Robert Wilson .He is possibly also the author/composer.It was a popular song in Scotland just after the Second World War

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: Metchosin
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 03:55 AM

I have some sheet music coming, but I have a feeling it won't arrive in time and this was one of my Mom's and Grandmother's favorites.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: sheila
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 12:19 PM

As I type this, my Mum is writing down as much of the song as she can remember. As soon as I hear back from her, I'll post it here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: sheila
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 02:40 PM

Unfortunately, Mum only remembered the chorus and one verse. Chorus:
It was the toorie on his bonnet,
the red toorie on it.
the red toorie-oorie-oorie-ay -
He left his kilt and sporran
and off he went to war in
his red toorie-oorie-oorie-ay.
Chorus:
While swinging into action
He's the centre of attraction
He's the pride of Bonnie Scotland,
so they say.
But what made the Gerrys run,
it was not his Tommy gun,
it was the toorie on his bonnet,
the red toorie on it
the red toorie-oorie-oorie-ay!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: Metchosin
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 02:58 PM

Thank you Sheila, that's all I could remember as well, so maybe there aren't any more verses. Regardless, that is what I'm going to print. A very Merry Christmas to you.

Susan

Subject: Lyr Add: THE TOORIE ON HIS BONNET
From: GUEST,EdinburghD
Date: 14 Jul 04 - 07:39 PM

This is the complete version!

The Toorie On His Bonnet

VERSE 1
MacTavish was Pipe Major
In the Highland Scot's Brigade
And proudly led the regiment
when it was on parade.
He loved a highland lassie,
And before he went away
She sewed a little keepsake
So he'd think of her each day.

CHORUS
'Twas the toorie on his bonnet,
The red toorie on it.
His red toorie-oorie-oorie-ay -
He left his kilt and sporran
And off he went to war in
His red toorie-oorie-oorie-ay.
And when swinging into action
He's the centre of attraction
He's the pride of Bonnie Scotland, so they say.
But what made the Gerrys run?
It was not his Tommy gun,
'Twas the toorie on his bonnet,
The bonnie toorie on it
His red toorie-oorie-oorie-ay!

VERSE 2
When he came home on furlough
To his wee bit, but and ben,
He met his bonnie Jeannie
And went roamin' in the glen.
She said to him "MacTavish" mon,
If you are true to me
Gie me your auld Glengarry
For there's one thing I must see,
CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 07:20 PM

TOORIE ON HIS BONNET was written by George "Funky" Brown and Noel Gay.

Tommy Scott sings it on "The Best of Hop Scotch on Tour," 1995, and "Tommy Scott's Hop Scotch, Vol. 2," 1995. Gisele MacKenzie sings it on "Canada's First Lady of Song," 2004 (a reissue, no doubt).

This information is from allmusic.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: Metchosin
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 08:00 PM

thanks all, the sheet music did arrived in time in '99, believe it or not.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: GUEST,Marty
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 07:58 PM

Wow, thanks for the information about this song. I learned to sing it back in the late 40's in Chicago from Lar "America First" Daly, if anyone remembers him. Before he was Lar he was known simply as Larry Daly and was a popular Irish singer and fiddler. I knew the words but I didn't know if any recordings were available.

Marty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: masato sakurai
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 09:42 PM

Gisele Mackenzie recorded it on Canada's First Lady Of Song (with a sound sample).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Toorie on his Bonnet
From: GUEST,guest in the Far East
Date: 01 Aug 15 - 04:34 AM

I was so interested to read this. I remember hearing this on the radio during the war "Worker's Playtime," when entertainers used to tour the munitions factories all over Britain, to perform before the workers during their lunch-break. It was still popular after the war and seemed to be sung at every party.