Coulter's Candy

Uploaded by: jeffb

Upload date: 6/4/2026

Description:

This is a random funny Scottish folk song I found about candy. This version of the song was recorded by Stuart Anderson Jnr. I don't understand a third of the words but thought it was funny. Wikipedia says this about the song. "Coulter's Candy", also known as "Ally Bally" or "Ally Bally Bee, is a Scots folk song.
Origin
This song dates to the mid to late-19th century by a former Galashiels weaver, Robert Coltart.[1][2] Coltart made aniseed-flavoured sweets in Melrose and sold them around the markets of the Border towns. While the song refers to the type of confectionery used, the recipe was lost after Coltart's death (c. 1880). He died of a brain tumour, penniless, and was buried in an unmarked ("pauper's") grave in Eastlands Cemetery, in Galashiels.
In 2019, the Scottish Borders Council erected a statue in honour of Coulter's Candy in Galashiels, as part of a town centre regeneration project.[6] Created by Angela Hunter, the statue became part of a new town trail.[7] On 2 April 2024, a headstone was unveiled on the 144th anniversary of Coltart’s death; the headstone was a fundraising effort.