Gloomy Winter's Now Awa' tune: "Lord Balgonie's Favourite" Robert Tannahill, 1808
Gloomy winter's now awa', Saft the westlin' breezes blaw; 'Mang the birks o' Stanley-shaw The mavis sings fu' cheerie O; Sweet the craw-flower's early bell Decks Gleniffer's dewy dell, Blooming like thy bonnie sel', My young, my artless dearie O. Come, my lassie, let us stray O'er Glenkilloch's sunny brae, Blithely 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' downy buds, Adorn the banks sae brierie O; Round the sylvan fairy nooks, Feathery breckans 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 melody is from Nathaniel Gow's collection, and was arranged for this song by R.A. Smith, 1808. Authorship of the melody is also claimed by Alexander Campbell, in Albyn's Anthology, Volume 1.