Archive for July 19th, 2007

“For My Heart’s a Boat in Tow”

July 19, 2007 @ 8:27 pm | Filed under: ,

Of all the haunting, achingly beautiful Scottish ballads, this one may be the most aching and the most beautiful. The melody is gorgeously poignant in its own right, but add the words, the raw, profoundly moving outcry of a sailor spurned by his nighean ruadh—his red-haired girl—and your heart just might break along with his. Oh I cannot live without her…for my heart’s a boat in tow…This is one of the loveliest bits of poetry ever uttered.

Loch Tay Boat Song

When I’ve done my work of day,
And I row my boat away,
Doon the waters of Loch Tay,
As the evening light is fading
And I look upon Ben Lawers
Where the afterglory glows;
And I think on two bright eyes
And the melting mouth below.

She’s my beauteous nighean ruadh,
She’s my joy and sorrow too;
And although she is untrue,
Well I cannot live without her,
For my heart’s a boat in tow,
And I’d give the world to know
Why she means to let me go,
As I sing horee horo.

Nighean ruadh, your lovely hair
Has more glamour I declare
Than all the tresses rare
‘tween Killin and Aberfeldy.
Be they lint white, brown or gold,
Be they blacker than the sloe,
They are worth no more to me
Than the melting flake of snow.

Schooner

Her eyes are like the gleam
O’ the sunlight on the stream;
And the songs the fairies sing
Seem like songs she sings at milking.
But my heart is full of woe,
For last night she bade me go
And the tears begin to flow,
As I sing horee, horo.


Today’s Poetry Friday roundup can be found at Mentor Texts & More.

My Favorite Scots Ballads

July 19, 2007 @ 8:20 am | Filed under:

Ho Ro, My Nut Brown Maiden

music

Chorus:
Ho ro my nut-brown maiden,
Hee ree my nut-brown maiden,
Ho ro ro maiden,
She is the maid for me

Her eye so mildly beaming,
Her look so frank and free,
In waking or in dreaming,
Is evermore with me.

O Mary, mild-eyed Mary,
By land or on the sea;
Though time or tide may vary
My heart beats true for thee.

And since from thee I parted,
A long and weary while;
I wander heavy hearted
While longing for thy smile.

The face with kindness glowing
The face that hides no guile
The light grace of thy going
The witchcraft of thy smile.

 

Mine eyes that never vary
From pointing to the glen
Where blooms my Highland Mary
Like wild rose ‘neath the ben.

And when the blossoms laden
Bright summer comes again;
I’ll fetch my nut-brown maiden
Down from the bonnie glen.

Bonny Doon

I’ll Walk Beside You

I’ll walk beside you through the world today
While dreams and songs and flowers bless your way
I’ll look into your eyes and hold your hand
I’ll walk beside you through the golden land

I’ll walk beside you through the world tonight
Beneath the starry skies ablaze with light
And in your heart loves’s tender words I’ll hide
I’ll walk beside you through the eventide

I’ll walk beside you through the passing years
Through days of cloud and sunshine, joy and tears
And when the great call comes, though sunset gleams
I’ll walk beside you through the land of dreams.

Loch Lomond

Loch Tay Boat Song

We’ll Go No More A-Roving

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