Scots Callan o' Bonnie Dundee
The Cast (Scottish), The Winnowing
Specific Lyrics © 1993 The Cast (Mairi Campbell, Dave Francis)
O, whaur gat ye that hauver-meal bannock?
O, silly blind body, o, dinna ye see?
I gat it frae a brisk sodger laddie,
Atween Saint Johnstone and Bonnie Dundee.
O, gin I saw the laddie that gi'ed me't,
Aft has he doudl'd me upon his knee.
May heaven protect my bonnie Scots laddie,
And send him in safe tae his baby and me.
My heart has nae room when I think on my laddie,
His dear rosy haffets bring tears tae my een.
And oh! He's awa, and I dinna ken whaur he's-
He's awa frae his lassie and Bonnie Dundee.
O, light be the breeze around him saftly blawin,
And o'er him sweet simmer still blink bonnilie,
May the rich dews o'plenty, around him wide fa'in,
Prevent a' his fears for his baby and me!
My blessings upon that sweet wee lippie!
My blessings upon that bonnie ee-brie!
Thy smiles are sae like my blythe sodger laddie,
Thou's aye the dearer and dearer tae me.
And I'll big a bower on yon green bank sae bonnie,
That's lave'd by the waters o' Tay wimplin' clear,
And cleed thee in tartans, my wee smiling Jonnie,
And mak thee a man like your daddie dear.
Liner Notes © 1993 The Cast
It's usual in the tradition for young women to lament their rashness in falling
for passing soldiers. But the woman in this song seems content with her bairn and her fate.
This version of the song has a last verse added by Burns and is taken from Nigel Gatherer's
Songs and Ballads of Dundee
From a later (ca. 1890-1900) broadside:
O, whaur gat ye that bonnie blue bonnet,
O, silly, blind body, canna' ye see;
I gat it frae a bonny Scots callan',
'Atween Saint Johnstone and bonny Dundee.
An' 0, gin I saw but the laddie that gae me't,
Fu' aft has he dandl'd me upon his knee;
But noo he's awa, an' I dinna ken whaur he's,
O, gin he was back to his minny an' me.
My heart has nae room when I think on my dawty,
His dear, rosy haffits bring tears in my e'e;
But noo he 's awa', an' I dinna ken whar he 's;
Gin we could ance meet we 'se ne'er part till we dee.
An' O, gin I saw but my bonnie Scots callan',
Fu' aft has he dandl'd me upon his knee;
But noo he 's awa', an' I dinna ken whaur he's,
O, gin he was back to his minny an' me.
Additional lyrics from Robert Burns (1759-1796):
My blessin's upon thy sweet wee lippie!
My blessin's upon thy e'e-brie!
Thy smiles are sae like my blythe sodger laddie,
Thou's aye the dearer, and dearer to me!
But I'll big a bow'r on yon bonie banks,
Whare Tay rins wimplin' by sae clear;
An' I'll cleed thee in the tartan sae fine,
And mak thee a man like thy daddie dear.