Commentary
Verse 1 begins: 'Ye braw decenent women I?ll sing ye a song, / Of the wit of the auld and the pride of the young'. There are no further details attached to this publication. There are many sheets contained in the National Library of Scotland's collection, which are aimed at or detail the lives of servants. Although broadsides reached a large audience, their cheap cost and easy street purchase may have made them especially appealing to busy workers. Early ballads were dramatic or humorous narrative songs derived from folk culture that predated printing. Originally perpetuated by word of mouth, many ballads survive because they were recorded on broadsides. Musical notation was rarely printed, as tunes were usually established favourites. The term 'ballad' eventually applied more broadly to any kind of topical or popular verse.
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