The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #24068   Message #271927
Posted By: GUEST,Bruce O.
05-Aug-00 - 01:38 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Helen of Kirkconnel
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Helen of Kirkconnel
I have to recant a bit. The copy in DT is Burns' revision of the old ballad, where some verses are his and some from the old ballad, which he said was silly, and said his alteration was not much better. He said the best version was one of 6 verses in Pinkerton's 'Ancient [actually Tragic] Ballads', [1781]. I do not have the text of that.

See Chamber's 'The Songs of Scotland Prior to Burns' and Dick's 'The Songs of Robert Burns' for commentary and other copies of the song. G. F. Graham in 'The Songs of Scotland', III, p. 104 gives the traditional version) published by C. K. Sharpe in 'Additional Illustrations to the Scots Musical Museum' (#155) copy (8 verses), as set to the traditional tune later (1849) supplied by Sharpe by personal communication. Other song copies are in Scott's 'Border Minstrelsy' and Ritson's 'Scottish Songs'.