Emily Smith MCPS/PRS

On a day like today my love sailed away
Over the sea tae his homeland
Not fortune nor gold could he find in this world
And I did despair at his goin’, goin,
I did despair at his goin

Twas six months and three he spent here wi’ me
But the last he spent secretly knowin’
That one day he’d board the ship at the shore
And I would despair at his goin’, goin’,
I would despair at his goin’

When he first came tae me his bride for tae be
He’d promised me a life of good livin’
But now he has gone I know I was wrong
To want more than he would be givin’, givin’
To want more than he would be givin’

Now as I stand, my son at my hand
I think of the life he may lead
No father has he, but a man he will be
For I’ll raise him with all that he could need, could need
I’ll raise him with all that he could need

Emily Smith (MCPS/PRS)

I wish I was whaur Helen lies
For nicht and day on me she cries
For nicht and day on me she cries
I wish I was whaur Helen lies
On fair Kirkconnel Lea

Oh Helen fair, oh Helen chaste
Were I with thee I would be blessed
Were I with thee I would be blessed
Where though liest low and at thy rest
On fair Kirkconnel Lea

Oh Helen Fair beyond compare
I’ll mak a garland o’ thy hair
I’ll mak a garland o’ thy hair
Wrapped roon’ ma hairt forever mair
On fair Kirkconnel Lea

But curse the heart that hatched the thoucht
And curse the hand that fired the shot
Aye curse the hand that fired the shot
When in my arms my Helen dropped
And died for sake o’ me

But think na ye ma hairt was sair
My love droppit doon an’ spak nae mair
I laid her doon wi’ muckle care
Oh think na ye ma hairt was sair
On fair Kirkconnel Lea

For I found ma foe behin’ a wa’
I lichtit doon my sword tae draw
Stern was oor strife on Kirtleshaw
As I hacked him intae pieces sma’
Wha’d taen ma love frae me

I wish I was whaur Helen lies
For nicht and day on me she cries
Oh I wish I was whaur Helen lies
On fair Kirkconnel Lea

Traditional

I wonder what is keeping my true love this night
Oh I wonder what is keeping him out of my sight
Tis little he knows of the pain I endure
Or he would not stay from me this night I am sure

Oh love are you coming my pain to advance?
Or love are you waiting for a far better chance?
Or have you a sweetheart laid by you in store?
Or are you comin’ for to tell me you love me no more?

Oh love I’m not comin’ your pain to advance
Nor love am I waiting for a far better chance
But I have a sweetheart laid by me in store
And I’m comin’ for to tell you I love you no more

For I’ve gold in my pocket and pain in my heart
But I can’t love a young man who has two sweethearts
You loved me just lightly like the dew on thorn
Comes down in the evenin’, goes away in the morn

For I can love lightly and I can love strong
And I can love the old love ‘til the new love comes along
I just said that I loved you for to put your mind at ease
But when far away from you, I’ll love whom I please

For green grass grows bonny, spring water runs clear
I weary, how I weary when I think on my dear
You were my first and only false love and it’s now I do rue,
For the stronger I loved you the falser you grew

So come all of you fair maids take this warnin’ from me
And never build your nest at the top of a high tree
For the leaves they will wither and the branches decay
And like a false hearted young man, will soon fade away

Words: Robert Burns
Music: J. McClennan (MCPS/PRS)

It was upon a Lammas night when corn rigs are bonnie oh
Beneath the moon’s unclouded light I held awa tae Annie oh
The time flew by wi’ tentless heid ‘til ‘tween the late and early oh
Wi’ sma’ persuasion she agreed tae see me through the barley oh

The sky was blue, the wind was still and the moon was shinin’ clearly oh
I set her doon wi’ right good will amang the rigs o’ barley oh
I kent her heart wis a’ my ain an’ I loved her most sincerely oh
I kissed her o’er an’ o’er again amang the rigs o’ barley oh

Corn rigs an’ barley rigs corn rigs are bonnie
I’ll ne’er forget that happy night amang the rigs wi’ Annie oh
Corn rigs an’ barley rigs corn rigs are bonnie
I’ll ne’er forget that happy night amang the rigs wi’ Annie oh

I locked her in my fond embrace and her heart was beatin’ rarely oh
Ma blessin’s on that happy place amang the rigs o’ barley oh
But by the moon and stars so bright that shone that hour so clearly oh
She aye shall bless that happy night amang the rigs o’ barley oh

Corn rigs an’ barley rigs, corn rigs are bonnie
I’ll ne’er forget that happy night amang the rigs wi’ Annie oh
Corn rigs an’ barley rigs corn rigs are bonnie
I’ll ne’er forget that happy night amang the rigs wi’ Annie oh

I hae been blythe wi’ comrades dear and I hae been merry drinkin’ oh
I hae been joyful gatherin’ fear and I hae been merry thinkin’ oh
But a’ the pleasures e’er I saw though three times doubled fairly oh
That happy night was worth them a’ amang the rigs o’ barley oh

Corn rigs an’ barley rigs corn rigs are bonnie
I’ll ne’er forget that happy night amang the rigs wi’ Annie oh
Corn rigs an’ barley rigs corn rigs are bonnie
I’ll ne’er forget that happy night amang the rigs wi’ Annie oh

Traditionl: Arr Emily Smith (MCPS/PRS)

Oh but the ‘oors rin fast awa’, like the Kelvin tae the Clyde
Sin’ on its bonnie gowan banks I wooed ye for ma bride
My ain dear lass, sae fresh an’ fair, sae artless and sae young
When love wis a’ the grief we kent, and ye my only care

Time wears awa, time wears awa and winna let us be
It stole the wild rose frae yer cheek and the blythe blink frae yer ee’

When woods were green an’ flooers fair, and ye were a’ my ain
I little reckoned what years would bring o’ poorteth, toil and pain
Some wayfull ‘oors hae flapped their wings, dark shadows are oor lot
Sin’ like twa cuchets o’er a glen, we strayed in this dear spot

Time wears awa, time wears awa and winna let us be
It stole the wild rose frae yer cheek and the blythe blink frae yer ee’

The memories o’ oor happy days steal on oor dreams by nicht
As cherished reveries rise and glow wi’ their depairted licht
But still the birds and burnies sing their wildered melodies
As in the gowden dawn o’ youth when we were young and free

Time wears awa, time wears awa and winna let us be
It stole the wild rose frae yer cheek and the blythe blink frae yer ee’

Traditional / Emily Smith (MCPS/PRS)

I yinst wis a ploo boy, but a soldier I’m noo
I coorted lovely Molly as I follae’d the ploo
I coorted lovely Molly at the age of sixteen
But it’s noo I maun leave her for to serve James my King

Oh Molly, lovely Molly, I delight in your charms
For it’s monys the nichts I have lain in your arms
An’ if ever I return again, it will be in the spring
When the mavis and the turtle dove and the nightingale sing

Ye can gan tae the mairket, ye can gan tae the fair
Ye can gan tae the kirk on Sunday and meet your love there
For if anyone should love you as much as I do
Then I won’t stop yer marriage, farewell now, adieu

Oh Molly, lovely Molly, I delight in your charms
For it’s monys the nicht I have lain in your arms
An’ if ever I return again, it will be in the spring
When the mavis and the turtle dove and the nightingale sing

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

In Logan’s woods, aye in Logan’s braes
I helped ma bonnie lassie on wi’ her claithes
First her hoes and then her shune
She gart me the slip when she was done

She’s leaned her back against a thorn
And there she has twa bonnie babes born
There she has twa bonnie babes born
Doon by the greenwood sidie o

She’s ta’en a ribbon frae aff her hair
An’ she’s chokit them though they grat sair
She’s chokit them though they grat sair
Doon by the greenwood sidie o

She’s dug a hole baith lang and deep
And buried them where nane might see
She’s buried them where nane might see
Doon by the greenwood sidie o

Richt wanley has she gaed hame
Sae nane might meddle wi’ her fair fame
Sae nane might meddle wi’ her fair fame
Doon by the greenwood sidie o

For days an’ weeks she was pale an’ wan
What she thoucht o’ there’s nane could tell
What she thoucht o’ there’s nane could tell
Doon by the greenwood sidie o

As she was lookin’ o’er yon castle wa’
She saw twa bonnie bairnies playin’ at a ba’
She saw twa bonnie bairnies playin at a ba’
Doon by the greenwood sidie o

Oh bairns, bairns, gin ye were mine
I’d gie ye coo’s milk, I’d gie ye reid wine
I’d gie ye coo’s milk and reid wine
Doon by the greenwood sidie o

Oh mither, mither we once were thine
Ye didna gie us coo’s milk or reid wine
Ye didna gie us coo’s milk or reid wine
Doon by the greenwood sidie o

You took a ribbon frae aff yer hair
An’ ye chokit us though we grat sair
Ye chokit us though we grat sair
Doon by the greenwood sidie o

Oh bairns, bairns come tell me true
What the future holds for you
What the future holds for you
Doon by the greenwood sidie o

Oh mither, cruel mither we ken richt weel
Tis we in heaven, in heaven must dwell
While ye maun dreg the fierce fires o’ hell
Doon by the greenwood sidie o