3 Traditional Scottish Folk Songs - HIVE Open Mic 112 - "Tradición Local"

Hi Everyone

For this weeks theme of "Local Traditions" I thought I would take a shot at singing some traditional old Scottish Folk songs.

The first song is called "The Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lommond"

Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault, often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands.

The melody to this song is well known, in my version I have added a verse which I found in a poem from the 1800s which is about the Jacobite uprising and the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Many of the words here are in the old Scots dialect ,I have left them untranslated for authenticity :).

"The Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lommond"

By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond
Where me and my true love spent many happy days
By the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

O ye'll take the high road and I'll take the low road
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

It was there that we parted on yon shady glen
On the steep, steep side of Ben Lomond
Where in purple hue with the the bonnie hills in view
And the moon coming out of the gloamin

O ye'll take the high road and I'll take the low road
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

The wee birdies sing and the wild flowers spring
And in sunshine the waters are sleeping:
The broken heart it ken's nae second spring again
But the mournful may cease fae their grieving

O ye'll take the high road and I'll take the low road
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

Theres an end tae this dance ,Bonnie Charlies safe in france
And the clans they hae all paid the lawing
And the hangman got his ain so we twa were left alane
Were free o Carlisle Gaol in the dawning.

O ye'll take the high road and I'll take the low road
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond

The second song in this set is "Comin' Thro' the Rye" which is a poem by the Scottish poet Robert Burns .The words are put to the melody of the Scottish Minstrel "Common' Frae The Town"

"Comin thro' the rye" describes crossing a ford through the Rye Water at Drakemyre to the north of the town of Dalry in North Ayrshire which is near Robert Burns place of birth.

This is my own unique version of this tune , again many words are kept in the old Scots dialect.

"Comin' Thro' the Rye"

Kin in body meet a body
Comin' through the rye?
Kin in body kiss a body
Need a body sigh?

All the lads they hae a lass
Yet none they hae say I
But all the lassies smile at me
When comin' thro' the rye

Kin a body meet a body
Comin' frae the town?
When a body meets a body
Need a body frown?

All the lads they hae a lass
Yet none they hae say I
But all the lassies smile at me
When comin' thro' the rye

Kin in body meet a body
Comin' fae the the well?
Kin a body greet a body
Ain ye love so well

All the lads they hae a lass
Yet none they hae say I
But all the lassies smile at me
When comin' thro' the rye

Among the twain there is a swain
I dearly love masel
But what's her name and where's her hame
I dinnae care to tell

All the lads they hae a lass
Yet none they hae say I
But all the lassies smile at me
When comin' thro' the rye

The 3rd song in the set is one of my favourite songs to sing.Its called "The Parting Glass"

"The Parting Glass"

Of all the money that e'er I had, I've spent it in good company
And all the harm that e'er I've done, alas, it was to none but me
And all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I can't recall
So fill to me the parting glass, good night and joy be with you all

Of all the friends that e'er I had, they are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e'er I had,
They would wish me one more day to stay
And so it falls unto my lot that I should rise and you should not
I'll gently rise and I'll softly call

Good night and joy be with you all

A man may drink and not be drunk, a man may fight and not be slain
A man may court a pretty girl and may be welcomed back again

And so it falls unto my lot that I should rise and you should not
I'll gently rise and I'll softly call

Good night and joy be with you all

-If any of you are wondering what some of the old Scots words mean just leave a comment and I will translate the words and verse for you.It would be a bit much to do this in the main body of the post :)-