The Songs of Robert Burnes

Tracks:


Kirkconnel Lee

Ae Fond Kiss

There Grows A Bonie Brier-Bush

Bonie Wee Thing

Corn Rigs

Ye Jacobites by Name

The Wild Geese

The Lea Rig

The Gard’ner Wi’ His Paidle

A Man's A Man For A' That

Ca’ the Yowes

The Shearin’s No For You

Green Grow the Rashes, Oh!

Credits:


Alex Beaton –Guitar, Vocals

David Chamberlain – Guitar, Bass,

Mandolin, Keyboards

Alasdair Fraser – Fiddle

Richard McIlvery – Bass, Pedal Steel

Randy Farrar – Synthesizer

Donnie MacDonald – Mandolin

Neil Manderson - Piper

Kirkconnel Lee


O that I were where Helen lies

Night and day on me she cries

O that I were where Helen lies

In fair Kirkconnel lee

O Helen fair beyond compare

A ringlet of thy flowing hair

I’ll wear it still for ever mair

Until the day I die

Curs’d be the hand that shot the shot

And curs’d the gun that gave the crack

Into my arms bird Helen lap

And died for sake of me

Think ye na but my heart was sair

My love fell down and spake nae mair

There did she swoon we meikle care.

On fair Kirkconnel tee


I lighted down my sword did draw

I cutted him in tae pieces sma’

I cutted him in tae pieces sina’

On fair Kirkconnel lee

O Helen chaste, thou’rt now at rest

If I were thee I were blest

Where thou lies low and take thy rest

On fair Kirkconnel lee



I wish my grave was growing green

A winding sheet put o’er my e’en

And I in lichen’s arm lying

In fair Kirkconnel lee

I wish 1 were where Helen lies

Night and day on me she cries

O that I were where Helen lies

In fair Kirkconnel lee

Ae Fond Kiss


Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!

Ae farewell, and then forever!

Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee,

Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee.


I’ll never blame my partial fancy

Naething could resist my Nancy!

But to see her was to love her

Love but her and love for ever


Had we never lov’d sae kindly

Had we never lov’d sae blindly

Never met - or never parted

We had ne’er been broken-hearted.


Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest!

Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest!

Thine be ilka. joy and treasure.

Peace, Enjoyment, Love and pleasure!


Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!

Ae farewell, alas, for ever!

Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee.

Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee.

There Grows A Bonnie Brier-Bush


There grows a bonnie brier-bush in our kail-yard,

There grows a bonnie brier-bush in our kail-yard,

And below the bonnie bier-hush there’s a lassie and a lad,

And they’re busy, busy courting in our kail-yard.


We’ll court nae mair below the buss in our kail-yard,

We’ll court nae mair below the buss in our kail-yard,

We’ll awa to Athole’s green, and there we’ll no he seen,

Where the trees and the branches will he our safeguard.


Will ye gang tae the dancin in Carlyle’s ha’?

Will ye gang tae the dancin in Carlyle’s ha’?

Where Sandy and Nancy I’m sure will ding them a’?

I winna gang tae the dance in Carlyle-ha’!


What will I do for a lad when Sandie gangs awa!

What will I do for a lad when Sandie gangs awa!

I’ll awa to Edinburgh, and win a pennie fee,

And see an onie lad will fancy me.


He’s comin frae the north that’s to fancy me,

He’s comin frae the north that’s to fancy me,

A feather in his bonnet and a ribbon at his knee -

He’s a bonnie, bonnie laddie, an yon be he!

Bonnie Wee Thing


Bonnie wee thing, cannie wee thing,Lovely wee thing, wert thou mine,

I wad wear thee in my bosom

Lest my jewel it should tine


Wishfully I look and languish,

In that bonie face o’ thine,

And my heart it stounds wi’ anguish,

Lest my wee thing be na mine.


Wit and Grace and Love and Beauty

In ae constellation shine!

To adore thee is my duty

Goddess o’ this soul o’ mine!

Corn Rigs


It was upon a Lammas night,

When corn rigs are bonnie,

Beneath the moons unclouded light,

I held away to Annie;


The time flew by, wi’ tentless heed,

Till, ‘tween the late and early,

Wi’ sma’ persuasion she agreed

To see me thro the barley


Chorus:

Corn rigs, an’ barley rigs,

An’ corn rigs are bonie:

I’ll ne’er forget that happy night,

Amang the rigs wi Annie.


The sky was blue, the Wind was still,

The moon was shining clearly;

I set her down, wi’ right good will,

Amang the rigs o’ barley.


Chorus


I ken‘t her heart was a’ my ain

I lov’d her most sincerely;

I kiss’d her owre and owre again,

Amang the rigs o’ barley


1 lock’d her in my fond embrace;

Her heart was beating rarely:

My blessings on that happy place,

Amang the rigs o barley!


Chorus



But by the moon and stars so bright,

That shone that hour so clearly!

She aye shall bless that happy night

Amang the rigs o barley.


I hae been blythe wi’ comrades dear;

I hae been merry drinking;

1 hae been joyfu’ gath’rin gear;

I hae been happy thinking.


Chorus


But a’ the pleasures e’er I saw,

Tho’ three times doubl’d fairly,

That happy night was worth them a’,

Among the rigs o’ barley.


Ye Jacobites by Name


Ye Jacobites by name, lend an ear, lend an ear,

Ye Jacobites by name, lend an ear;

Ye Jacobites by name, your faults I will proclaim,

Your Jacobites I must blame – you shall hear!


What is right, and what is wrong, by the law, by the law?

What is right, and what is wrong, by the law

What is right, and what is wrong, a short sword and a long,

A weak and and a strong, for to draw!


What makes heroic strife, famed afar, famed afar?

What makes heroic strife, famed afar?

What makes heroic strife? To whet th assassins knife,

Or hunt a parent’s life. wi’ bloody war!


The let your schemes alone, in the State, in the state!

Then let your schemes alone, in the State!

Then let your schemes alone, adore the rising sun,

And leave a man alone, to his fate, to his fate

And leave a man alone, to his fate.

The Wild Geese


Oh tell me what was on yer road, ye roarin’ Norland wind?

As ye cam’ blawin’ frae the land that's never frae ma mind.

My feet they traivel England but I'm deein’ for the North.

My man, I saw the siller tides rin up the Firth o’ Forth.


Aye, Wind, I ken them well eneuch and fine they fa’ and rise,

And fain I'd feel the creepin’ mist on yonder shore that lies,

But tell me as ye pass them by, what saw ye on the way?

My man, I rocked the rovin’ gulls that sail abune the Tay.


But saw ye naethin’, leein’ wind afore ye come tae Fife?

There's muckle lyin’ 'yont the Tay that's mair tae me nor life.

My man, I swept the Angus braes that ye hivna trod for years.

Oh Wind, forgie a hameless loon that canna see for tears.


And far abune the Angus straths I saw the wild geese flee,

A lang, lang skein o’ beatin’ wings wi’ their heids toward the sea,

And aye their cryin’ voices trailed ahint them on the air.

O’ Wind, hae maircy, haud your whisht, for I daurna listen mair.

The Lea Rig


When o'er the hill the eastern star

Tells bughtin' time is near, my Jo,

And owsen frae the furrowed field

Return sae dowf and weary o,

Doon by the burn where scented birks

Wi dew are hangin' clear, my Jo,

I'll meet ye on the lea rig,

My ain kind Dearie o.


At midnight hour in mirkest glen

I'd rove and ne'er be eerie o,

If thro' that glen I gaed tae thee,

My ain kind dearie o,

Altho' the night were ne'er sae wild,

And I were ne'er sae weary o,

I'll meet thee on the lea rig,

My ain kind dearie-o.


The hunter lo'es the morning sun

Tae rouse the mountain deer, my Jo,

At noon the fisher taks the glen,

Adown the burn tae steer, my Jo,

But gie tae me the gloamin' grey

It maks my heart sae cheery o,

Tae meet ye on the lea rig,

My ain kind Dearie O'

The Gard’ner Wi’ His Paidle


When rosy May comes in wi’ flowers

To deck her gay, green-spreading bowers,

Then busy, busy are his hours,

The gard’ner wi’ his paidle.


The crystal waters gently fa’,

The merry birds are lovers a’,

The scented breezes round him blaw

The gard’ner wi’ his paidle.


When purple morning starts the hare

To steal upon her early fare,

Then thro’ the dew he maun repair

The gard’ner wi’ his paidle.


When Day, expiring in the west,

The curtain draws o’ Nature’s rest.

He flies to her arms that he lo’es best,

The gard’ner wi’ his paidle.

A Man's A Man For A' That


Is there for honest poverty

That hangs his head, an' a' that?

The coward slave, we pass him by

We dare be poor for a' that!

For a' that, an' a' that!

Our toil’s obscure, an' a' that,

The rank is but the guinea's stamp,

The man's the gowd for a' that.


What though on hamely fare we dine,

Wear hoddin grey an' a' that?

Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine

A man's a man for a' that.

For a' that, an' a' that,

Their tinsel show, an' a' that,

The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor,

Is king o' men for a' that.


Ye see yon birkie ca'd 'a lord',

Wha struts, an' stares, an' a' that?

Tho' hundreds worship at his word,

He's but a coof for a' that,

For a' that, an' a' that,

His ribband, star, an' a' that,

The man o' independent mind,

He looks an' laughs at a' that.


A prince can mak’ a belted knight,

A marquis, duke, an' a' that!

But an honest man's aboon his might

Gude faith, he mauna fa' that!

For a' that, an' a' that,

Their dignities, an' a' that,


For a' that, an' a' that,

Their dignities, an' a' that,

The pith o' sense an' pride o' worth

Are higher rank than a' that.


Then let us pray that come it may

As come it will for a' that)

That Sense and Worth o'er a' the earth,

Shall bear the gree an' a' that,

For a' that, an' a' that,

It's comin yet for a' that,

That man to man the world oe'r

Shall brithers be for a' that.


Ca’ the Yowes


Chorus

Ca’ the yowes to the knowes,

Ca’ them where the heather grows,

Ca’ them where the burnie rowes,

My bonnie dearie.


Hark, the mavis evening sang

Sounding Clouden’s woods amang

Then a-faulding let us gang.

My bonnie dearie.


We’ll gae down by Clouden side,

Thro the hazels, spreading wide

O’er the waves that sweetly glide

To the moon sae clearly.


Yonder Clouden’s silent towers

Where, at moonshine’s midnight hours,

O’er the dewy bending flowers

Fairies dance sae cheery.


Fair and lovely as thou art

Thou has stown my very heart

I can die — but canna part

My bonnie dearie,

The Shearin’s No For You


Oh the shearin’s no for you ma bonnie lassie O

Oh the shearin’s no for you ma bonnie lassie O

Oh the shearin’s no for you for yer back it winna bow

And yer belly’s rowan fu ma bonnie lassie O


Dae ye mind yon banks o Ayr ma bonnie lassie O

Dae ye mind yon banks o Ayr ma bonnie lassie 0

Dae ye mind yon banks o Ayr when ye caught him in yer snare

And yer love ye did declare ma bonnie lassie O


Tak the buckles frae yer shoon ma bonnie lassie O

Tak the buckles frae yer shoon ma bonnie lassie O

Tak the buckles frae ver shoon for ye’ve married sic a loon

And yer dancin’ days are done ma bonnie lassie O


Take the ribbons frae yer hair ma bonnie lassie O

Tak the ribbons frae yer halt ma bonnie lassie O

Tak the ribbons frae yer hair and let doun yer ringlets fair

For ye’ve naught but want an care ma bonnie lassie 0


Oh the shearin’s no for you ma bonnie lassie O

Oh the shearin’s no for you ma bonnie lassie O

Oh the shearin’s no for you for yer back in winna bow

And yer belly’s rowan fu ma bonnie lassie O

Green Grow the Rashes, Oh!


Chorus:

Green grow the rashes, O!

Green grow the rashes, O!

The sweetest hour that ever I spend,

Are spent among the lasses, O!


There's naught but care on ev'ry han',

In ev’ry hour that passes, O!

What signifies the life o' man

If ‘twere na for the lasses, O?


Chorus


The war’ly race may riches chase,

And riches may fly them, O!

And tho at last they catch them fast,

Their hearts can ne'er enjoy them, O!


Chorus


But gie me a cannie hour at ev’n,

My arms around my dearie, O!

An' war’ly cares, and warldly men,

May a’ gae tapsalteerie, O!


Chorus


For you sae douce ye sneer at this,

Ye're not but senseless asses, O!

The wisest man the warl' e’er saw

He dearly loved the lasses, O!


Chorus


Auld Nature swears, the lovely dears

Her noblest work she classes, O!

Her 'prentice han’ she tried on man,

An’ then she made the lasses, O!


Chorus


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