Words: Trad.
Music: Donal Maguire - Copyright Control

As I roved out one morning
all in the blooming spring
I overheard a maiden fair
most grievously did sing
Oh cruel were my parents
who me they did sore annoy
They never let me tarry with
my bonny labouring me

Oh Johnny was my true love’s name,
as you must plainly see
My father he employed him for
a labouring boy to be
To harrow, reap and sow the seed
and plough my father’s land
And very soon we fell in love,
as you may understand

My mother said to me one day
how can you stoop so low?
To marry a poor labouring boy
around the world to go
Some noble man might fancy you,
some treasures you could enjoy
So do not throw your love away
on a poor young labouring boy

Oh mother dearest mother
your words are all in vain
For lords and knights and dukes and earls
their efforts I disdain
I’d rather lead a single life
where time I could enjoy
Awaiting happy prospects with
my bonny labouring boy

Some fifteen pounds of my best clothes
I sold that very night
And with the boy that I love best
to Belfast we did fly
His love it so entangled me
the same I can ne’er deny
It’s with my bonny labouring boy
I mean to live and die

So fill your glasses to the brim
and let the toast go round
And drink to every labouring boy
that ploughs and sows the ground
For when his work is over,
it’s home he will come with joy
And happy is the girl who weds
with the bonny labouring boy

Emily Smith (MCPS/PRS)

In the heart of Stobierna you were born and raised
Sister to seven brothers you worked all your days
Taught by your mother you followed farm life
Hoping one day to lead a different life

You traveled to France at the age of eighteen
No friends no companions no faces you’d seen
So much was uncertain and life was unfair
But soon you’d be glad that fate took you there

You crawled up the stairs too tired to walk
Servant girl and milkmaid learnt the language they talked
Only memories to guide you between right and wrong
So you fled from that place where you didn’t belong

Good fortune smiled upon you and the place felt like home
The lady of the house took you in as her own
It’s there you found love and it’s there you found rest
It’s there that a gypsy put your faith to the test

She said as she looked at the palm of your hand
You’ll marry a soldier but not from this land
Across the sea you will sail and there you’ll find joy
With the birth of your children one girl and one boy

Just as she said the prediction came true
And Scotland you went to start life anew
Another new language but the work, still the same
Now a wife and a mother you had a family again

The years have passed by now you’re tired and old
The wrinkles of your face hide stories untold
But with courage and spirit you’ve conquered the trials
Through life’s ups and down you’ve always a smile
Always a smile
Always a smile

Emily Smith (MCPS/PRS)

Lady Morton was sitting in her chamber up high
Combing her locks as she did everyday
Young Edward her servant stood out in the hall
Dreaming of Agnes and their wedding day

Oh Edward, oh Edward won’t you tarry wi’ me
Out in the green woods doon by the loch side?
No, no Lady Morton I’ll no gan wi’ ye
I’ve a lass o’ my ain and I’ll mak her my bride

She answered him back wi’ a glint in her e’ee
Don’t be foolish young man don’t you turn against me
For I’ll tell ma guid man the advances were yours
And he’ll lock you away when he’s hame frae the moors

Well the lady o’ the castle tae her husband did go
Poor Edward was sentenced to a life doon below
In the torturous chambers he’d starve til he died
But still lady Morton’s requests he denied

Then with pity and shame she returned to his side
And fed him in secret for to keep him alive
She begged wi’ his Agnes tae plead wi’ the Earl
To give Edward his freedom and be wed wi’ his girl

But on hearing her words the Earl’s anger grew
And the people of Morton they all came to view
As by both hands and feet, poor Edward was bound
And tied tae the wildest pair o’ colts to be found

They galloped awa wi’ their eyes filled wi’ fear
On the lang and rugged road that leads tae Durisdeer
Poor Edward was dragged until he was dead
And now a stone marks the spot, where off fell his head

Bob McNeill Broad Bay Music (Rights administred by APRA)

Strong winds for autumn, better bring those engines up
No sail can carry my love
No words will guide her
The calling voice is silent

And I watched them make turns for ten knots
I went each day to the end of the dock
Till the day my Annie sailed
On the last boat down the weeping loch

When the sickness came I suffered with my friends
One day I thought the world would end
In the dark I called her name
The others there heard nothing

And I watched them make turns for ten knots
I felt her wake with my feet in the surf
Till even that was calm
And the last boat had gone

Sail away my Annan love
No breeze can catch you now
It's all clear; there's only memories here
This year will know no winter

And I watched them make turns for ten knots
The cries of the gulls filled the air as I watched
The day my Annie sailed
On the last boat down the weeping loch

Sail away my Annan love
No breeze can catch you now
It's all clear; there's only memories here
This year will know no winter

Strong winds for autumn, better bring those engines up

Emily Smith (MCPS/PRS)

Chorus:
Will you go to town my Billy
Oh will you go to town
When the sun shines high in the sky my Billy
And there’s laughter all around
Come feein’ day we’ll lead the way
For a new home we are bound
We’ll pack oor bags and leave the rags
When we go town

For six months now you’ve steered the plough
And worked your pair a’ day
Through wind and rain I saw you grin
And smile at me that way
But as the seasons move around
The clouds will blow away
And out again will come the sun
To warm us on our way

Chorus

I rise at five tae mile the kye
In the dairy I hae been
And the fairest pleasures o’ this world
I hae seldom seen
But noo that I’ve an honest lad
Tae mak the days pass by
Oh I cannae stay an’ bide ma lane
When you bid me goodbye

Chorus

It’s lang ma lad you’ve loo’ed me weel
And held me in your care
While we worked hard the summer lang
By Cample’s banks sae fair
It’s there you gave your word tae me atween the dusk and dawn
That when the rowan leave had turned
we’d be movin’ on

Chorus

So side by side we’ll bid farewell
To what was oor first hame
We’ve served oor time a full term lang
Noo we’ll tak the road again
New lodgins we do seek ma boy
An’ wha kens whaur they’ll be
So up ye rise
Put on your coat
An’ tak the road wi me

Chorus

Words: Trad
Music: Emily Smith (MCPS/PRS)

It fell about the Martinmas when the snow lay on the border
There cam a troop o’ soldiers here tae tak up their winter’s quarters
They rode up and they rode doon, an’ they rode o’er the border
Until they reached a weel –faur’d maid an’ she was a fairmer’s dochter
Tae ma right doodle, right doodle die, right doodle day die oh
Tae ma right doodle, right doodle die, right doodle day die oh

It’s siller we’ve cam tae seek fair maid, an’ siller we maun hae all oh
Siller frae me ye canna get fir I’ve got nane at a’
Siller frae me ye cannae get for I’m just a poor man’s wife o
Ma bairnies bide a little forbye an’ a very sober life o
Tae ma right doodle, right doodle die, right doodle day die oh
Tae ma right doodle, right doodle die, right doodle day die oh

Then they’ve made her swear a solemn oath wi the saut tear in her e’e
That she would call at their quarter gates when no one did her see
As she wis walking up and doon and thinking on her vow
How could she these men beguile and prove a maiden true
Tae ma right doodle, right doodle die, right doodle day die oh
Tae ma right doodle, right doodle die, right doodle day die oh

She’s gone in tae a barber’s shop, tae a barber’s shop went she o
An’ she’s made him cut her yellow hair a little above her e’e
She’s gone in tae a tailor’s shop, men’s clothing she’s found there
Wi a pair o’ pistols by her side, a bonnie boy was she o
Tae ma right doodle, right doodle die, right doodle day die oh
Tae ma right doodle, right doodle die, right doodle day die oh

When she reached their quarter gates it’s loud, loud did she call o
There cam a troop o’ soldiers here and we need lodgins all
The quarter master he spoke oot, he gave her half a crown o
Said go get lodgins for yirsel for this nicht there cams a wench o
Tae ma right doodle, right doodle die, right doodle day die oh
Tae ma right doodle, right doodle die, right doodle day die oh

She’s ta’en the garters frae her legs and the ribbons frae her hair o
An’ she tied them roon’ their wide gate post as a token that she’d been there
But when they saw that it wis her, it’s they would have her in o
But she’s put the spurs tae her horse’s side and she went a maiden hame o
Tae ma right doodle, right doodle die, right doodle day die oh…

Trad. Arr. E. Smith & J. McClennan (MCPS/PRS)

Oh heard ye o’ a silly harper lived long in Lochmaben toon?
How he did go tae fair England to steal king Henry’s wanton broon
But first he gaed tae his guidwife wi a’ the speed that he could thole
This task said he will never work withoot a mare who has a foal
Sing fadden dilly, fadden dilly, fadden dilly deedle dan

She said you have a guid grey mare that’ll run o’er hills baith low and high
Gae take the grey mare in yer hand and leave the foal at hame wi me
Then tak a halter in your hose and of your purpose dinna fail
But wap it o’er the wanton’s nose and tie it tae the grey mare’s tail
Sing fadden dilly, fadden dilly, fadden dilly deedle dan

Syne ca’ her oot at yon back yeate o’er moss and muir and ilka dale
And she’ll ne’er let the wanton bite til she gets hame to her ain foal
So he is doon tae England gone o’er moss and muir and ilka dale
Until he’s reached king Henry’s yeate and o’ his purpose not tae fail
Sing fadden dilly, fadden dilly, fadden dilly deedle dan

Come in come in you silly harper, o’ your harping let me hear
Oh by my sooth then said the harper I’d rather hae stablin’ fir ma mare
So the king looked oer his left shoulder, said unto his stable groom
Gae take the silly auld harper’s mare and tie her ‘side my wanton broon
Sing fadden dilly, fadden dilly, fadden dilly deedle dan

Then aye he harped and aye he carped til a’ the lords gaed through the floor
They thoucht the music wis sae sweet that they forgot the stable door
An’ aye he carped and he harped til a’ the lords were soon’ asleep
Then quietly took aff his shune and softly doon the stairs did creep
Sing fadden dilly, fadden dilly, fadden dilly deedle dan

He took the halter frae his hose and o’ his purpose didna fail
But wapped it o’er the wanton’s nose and tied it tae the grey mare’s tail
Syne ca’d them oot at yon back yeate o’er moss and muir and ilka dale
An’ she’s ne’er let the wanton bite but held her still gan at her tail
Sing fadden dilly, fadden dilly, fadden dilly deedle dan

The grey mare was right swift o’ fit and didna fail tae find the way
For she wis at Lochmaben’s yeates fu lang three ‘oors ‘er it wis day
And when she reached the harper’s door there she gave mony a nicker and snear
Oh rise, oh rise you lazy lass let in the master and his mare
Sing fadden dilly, fadden dilly, fadden dilly deedle dan

So up she rose put on her clothes and lookit oot through the lock hole
Oh by my sooth then said the lass oor mare has gotten a braw big foal
Come haud the peace you foolish lass the moon’s but glancing in yer e’ee
I’ll wad ma hail fee gainst a groat it’s bigger than e’er oor foal will be
Sing fadden dilly, fadden dilly, fadden dilly deedle dan

Then in the morn at fair daylight when they had ended a’ their cheer
King Henry’s wanton broon was stawn an’ eek the poor auld harper’s mare
Alas! Alas! then said the harper, Alas! Alas! that I cam here
In Scotland I’ve a braw cowte foal and here they’ve stawn my guid grey mare
Come haud the peace you foolish harper o’ your alasin’ let me be
For ye shall get a better mare and weel paid for your cowte foal be
Sing fadden dilly, fadden dilly, fadden dilly deedle dan…….

Words: Trad
Music: Emily Smith (MCPS/PRS)

The love that I had chosen was to my heart’s content
The saut sea shall be frozen before that I repent
Repent me will I never until the day I dee
Though the lowlands o’ Holland hae twined my love and me

My love lies in the saut sea and I am on the side
Enough to break a young thing’s hairt wha lately was a bride
Wha lately was a bonnie bride, wi pleasure in her e’e
But the lowlands o’ Holland hae twined my love and me

My love he built a bonnie ship and sent her tae the sea
Wi seven score brave mariners tae bear her company
Three score gaed tae the bottom and three score died at sea
An’ the lowlands o’ Holland hae twined my love and me

My love he built another ship and sent her tae the main
He had but twenty mariners in a’ tae bring her hame
But the weary wind began tae rise the ship began tae rout
My love then and his bonnie ship turned widdershins about

There shall nae coif cam on my head, nor comb gan through ma hair
It’s neither coal nor candle licht shine in ma bower mair
Nor shall I hae anither love until the day I dee
For I ne’er loved a lad but ane and he’s drowned in the sea

Oh haud yer tongue dear dochter be still and be content
There are mair lads in Gallowa ye needna sair lament
Oh there is nane in Gallowa, there’s nane at a’ for me
For I ne’er loved a lad but ane and he’s drowned in the sea

 

Trad/Arr Emily Smith (MCPS/PRS)

Far over the forth I look to the north
But what is the north with its highlands tae me?
Not the east, nor the west, bring ease tae my breast
It’s a far foreign land o’er the dark rolling sea

A’ the lang summer days amangst the heather and bracken
Brought joy and delight tae my bonny blue ee
Tis little did I think that the wild western ocean
Would be rolling this day ‘tween my laddie and me

His faither he frowned on the love of his boyhood
And oh his proud mother looked cauld upon me
But he aye followed me, tae ma hame in the sheelin
And the hills o’ Breadalbane rang wild wi oor glee

We trysted oor love by the cairn on the mountain
The deer and the roe stood bride’s maidens tae me
And my love’s trysting glass was the pure crystal fountain
Oh what then was the world tae my laddie and me

So I’ll look to the west as I go tae my rest
That happy my dreams and my slumbers may be
For far in the west is the lad I loo best
He is seeking a hame for ma bairnie and me