Come, my lassie, let us stray
O'er Glenkilloch's sunny brae,
Blythly spend the gowden day
'Midst joys that never wearie, O.
Towering o'er the Newton woods,
Laverocks fan the snaw-white clouds;
Siller saughs, wi' downie buds,
Adorn the banks sae brierie, O.
Hound the sylvan fairy nooks,
Feath'ry braikens fringe the rocks,
'Neath the brae the burnie jouks,
And ilka thing is cheerie, O.
Trees may bud, and birds may sing,
Flowers may bloom, and verdure spring,
Joy to me they canna bring,
Unless wi' thee, my dearie, O.
The Highland Laddie.
[There was an old song called "The Highland Laddie," which was sung to an old tune, both of which, song and tune, are now nearly forgotten. The burthen of the original words ran thus:
"O, my bonnie, bonnie Highland laddie,
O, my handsome Highland laddie!
When I was sick and like to die,
He row'd me in his Highland plaidie."
Ramsay wrote two sets of words to the old tune: viz. the one which we here give, and another called "The Highland Lassie." An English version of the latter was afterwards published, to which Dr. Arne, the celebrated composer, set new music. Dr. Arne's tune is the one now sung to the present words, and is remarkable for beauty and compass. Sheridan, in his opera of "The Duenna," (1775,) adopts the tune for the well-known words, beginning,
"Ah, sure a pair was never seen," &c.]
The Lawland lads think they are fine,
But O! they're vain and idly gaudy;
How much unlike the gracefu' mien
And manly looks of my Highland laddie.
O my bonnie Highland laddie,
My handsome, charming, Highland laddie;
May heaven still guard, and love reward,
The Lawland lass and her Highland laddie.
If I were free at will to choose,
To be the wealthiest Lawland lady,
I'd tak' young Donald without trews,
With bonnet blue, and belted plaidie.
O my bonnie, &c.
The brawest beau in burrows town,
In a' his airs, wi' art, made ready,
Compared to him, he's but a clown,
He's finer far in 's tartan plaidie.
O my bonnie, &c.
O'er benty hill wi' him I'll run.
And leave my Lawland kin and daddie;
Frae winter's cauld and summer's sun,
He'll screen me wi' his Highland plaidie,
O my bonnie, &c.
A painted room, and silken bed,
May please a Lawland laird and lady;
But I can kiss and be as glad
Behind a bush in 's Highland plaidie.
O my bonnie, &c.
Few compliments between us pass;
I ca' him my dear Highland laddie,
And he ca's me his Lawland lass,
Syne rows me in beneath his plaidie.
O my bonnie, &c.
Nae greater joy I'll e'er pretend,
Than that his love prove true and steady,
Like mine to him, which ne'er shall end,
While heaven preserves my Highland laddie.
O my bonnie, &c.
Bonnie George Campbell.
[Recovered from tradition by John Finlay, author of "Wallace." Arranged from the old air by R. A. Smith.]
High upon Hielands, and laigh upon Tay,
Bonnie George Campbell rode out on a day;
Saddled, and bridled, and booted rode he,
Toom hame came the saddle, but never came he.
Down came his auld mither greeting fu' sair,
And out came his bonnie wife wringing her hair,
"My meadow lies green, and my corn is unshorn.
My barn is to build, and my babie's unborn."
