The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #20021   Message #1859486
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
15-Oct-06 - 01:51 PM
Thread Name: Origin: Wild Mountain Thyme
Subject: RE: Help: real origin of Wild Mountain Thyme
The link posted by Bill D (05Apr 00) contains the sheet music from "Scottish Songs," c. 1850, ed. George Farquhar Graham. The lyrics are ranscribed below. There are several 19th c. printings of the song, and more than one in the DT and other threads, but I think this one is worth posting as well.

BRAES O' BALQUHIDDER

Will ye go, lassie, go,
To the braes o' Balquhidder!
Where the blae berries grow
'Mang the bonnie bloomin' heather;
Where the deer and the rae,
Lightly bounding together,
Sport the lang summer day
'Mang the braes o' Balquhidder.

Will ye go, lassie, go
To the braes o' Balquhidder!
Where the blae berries grow
'Mang the bonnie blooming heather.

I will twine thee a bower
By the clear siller fountain,
An' I'll cover it o'er
Wi' the flowers o' the mountain;
I will range through the wilds,
An' the deep glen sae dreary,
An' return wi' their spoils
To the bower o' my deary.
Will ye go, etc.

When the rude wintry win'
Idly raves round my dwellin',
An' the roar o' the linn
On the night-breeze is swellin'--
Sae merrily we'll sing
As the storm rattles o'er us,
Till the dear shieling ring
Wi' the light liltin' chorus
Will ye go, etc.

Now the summer is in prime,
Wi' the flowers richly bloomin',
An' the wild mountain thyme
A' the moorlands perfumin',-
To our dear native scenes
Let us journey together,
Where glad innocence reigns
'Mang the braes o Balquhidder.
Will ye go, etc.

The text concludes with a note about Robert Tannahill and other editions of the song.