"Buy Broom Buzzems" (or "Buy Broom Besums") is a song attributed by many to William Purvis, probably better known as "Blind Willie" (1752–1832), a Tyneside songwriter and performer in the end of the 18th and start of the 19th century, and is considered by many to be his piece de resistance.
[citation needed] William Purvis is described as the writer/composer of this piece by many books and journals, while others dispute this.
One version was popular just over the border in Southern Scotland and of which Rabbie Burns, for one, knew and in 1796 wrote a satirical piece, Buy Braw Troggin, set to the tune.
Buzzems for a penny Rangers for a plack If ye winnot buy I'll tie them on my back.
Buy broom buzzems, Part 2 – to the original, these are some of the new wimple verses that Blind Willie (the native minstrel of Newcastle) had added: Up the Butcher Bank, And down Byker Chare ; There you'll see the lasses Selling brown ware.
Alang the Quayside, Stop at Russell's Entry ; There you'll see the beer drawer, She is standing sentry.