'Skinny Malinky Long Legs' and where the classic Glasgow tenement song comes from

We dug deep to try and find out the origins of the classic children's song comes from - and the results are surprising!

By

Craig Williams

Children play outside a restaurant in the Gorbals in 1969. (Image: Mirrorpix)

Ask any Glaswegian - or Scottish person for that matter - to name a nursery rhyme and the chances are they will recite to you verbatim in a heartbeat the one about Skinny Malinky Long Legs and his (disastrous) trip to the pictures.

Skinny Malinky long legs / Big banana feet / Went to the pictures but couldnae find a seat / When the picture started / Skinny Malinky farted / Skinny Malinky long legs / Big banana feet.

It's a nursery rhyme that Glasgow mums, dads and grannies and grandads have been reciting to young nippers sat on their knees and in playgrounds and streets since time immemorial alongside other classic old Tenement songs such as Ally bally, Does Yer Maw Drink Wine?, Mah Wee Cell at Barlinnie and of course Ye Cannae Shove Yer Granny Aff The Bus!