Three versions of this song were written by Burns.

The first version was written in a letter dated 11 March 1791 to Alexander Cunningham.

The second version was written in a letter to John Ballantine. This letter was undated but incorrectly assumed to be March 1787 by some 19th century editors of Burn's letters. Burns had written letters to John Ballantine in December 1786 and January 1787, and perhaps these editors assumed the undated letter followed on from these soon after.
This letter was later assumed more correctly to have been written around March 1791 soon after the letter to Cunningham on 11 March 1791.

The third version was published in James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum, vol. IV, 1792.


First Version
Tune: "Cambdelmore", A Collection of Scotch Reels or Country Dances, by Robert Bremner, 1757, p.92.
"Ballendalloch's reel", A Collection of Strathspey or Old Highland Reels, by Angus Cumming, 1780, p.7.

In a letter of 11 March 1791 to Alexander Cunningham, Burns sent off the first of his three drafts of ‘The Banks o’ Doon’. Each was set to a different air, though the scenario and motifs are similar. Burns indicates that he means this first draft to be part of Johnson's Musical Museum, and that it is set to the tune of a Strathspey reel, 'called in Cummin's Collection of Strathspeys, "Ballendalloch's reel," and in other Collections... by the name of Camdelmore".'

Burns writes:
I have this evening sketched out a Song, which I have a good mind to send you, though I foresee that it will cost you another groat of postage.—By the way, you once mentioned to me a method of franking letters to you, but I have forgot the direction.—My song is intended to sing to a Strathspey reel of which I am very fond, called in Cummin's Collection of Strathspeys, "Ballendalloch's reel,' & in other Collections that I have met with, it is known by the name of, "Camdelmore".—It takes three Stanzas of four lines each, to go through the whole tune.- I shall give the song to Johnson for the fourth vol. of his Publication of Scots Songs, which he has just now in hand.—

Sweet are the banks — the banks o' Doon,
The spreading flowers are fair,
And everything is blythe and glad,
But I am fu' o' care.

Thou'll break my heart, thou bonie bird,
That sings upon the bough;
Thou minds me o' the happy days
When my fause Luve was true:

Thou'll break my heart, thou bonie bird,
That sings beside thy mate;
For sae I sat, and sae I sang,
And wist na o' my fate.

Aft hae I rov'd by bonie Doon,
To see the woodbine twine;
And ilka birds sang o' its Luve,
And sae did I o' mine:

Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose,
Upon its thorny tree;
But my fause Luver staw my rose
And left the thorn wi' me:

Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose,
Upon a morn in June;
And sae I flourished on the morn,
And sae was pu'd or noon!


Second Version
Tune: "Ballendalloch's Reel" or "Cambdelmore"

In a letter to John Ballantine (undated but assumed to be March 1791, not 1787 as some 19th century editors of Burn's letters had assumed), Burns writes:
"While here I sit, sad and solitary, by the side of a fire in a little country inn, and drying my wet clothes, in pops a poor fellow of a sodger and tells me he is going to Ayr. By heavens! say I to myself, with a tide of good spirits with the magic of that sound, Auld Toon o' Ayr, conjured up. I will send my last song to Mr Ballantine. - Here it is -

Ye flowery banks o' bonnie Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fair;
How can ye chant, ye little birds,
And I sae fu' o' care!

Thou'll break my heart, thou bonie bird,
That sings upon the bough!
Thou minds me o' the happy days
When my fause Luve was true.

Thou'll break my heart, thou bonie bird,
That sings beside thy mate;
For sae I sat, and sae I sang,
And wist na o' my fate.

Aft hae I rov'd by bonie Doon,
To see the woodbine twine;
And ilka bird sang o' its Luve,
And sae did I o' mine.

Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose,
Upon its thorny tree;
But my fause Luver staw my rose,
And left the thorn wi' me.

Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose,
Upon a morn in June;
And sae I flourished on the morn,
And sae was pu'd or noon.


Third Version
Scots Musical Museum, by James Johnson, vol. IV, 1792, song 374, p. 387.
Tune: "Caledonian Hunt's delight", A Second Collection of Strathspey Reels, by Neil Gow, 1788, p.1.

Ye banks and braes o' bonnie Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair;
How can ye chant, ye little birds,
And I sae weary, fu' o' care!

Thou'll break my heart, thou warbling bird,
That wantons thro' the flowering thorn:
Thou minds me o' departed joys,
Departed never to return.

Aft hae I rov'd by Bonie Doon,
To see the rose and woodbine twine:
And ilka bird sang o' its Luve,
And fondly sae did I o' mine;.

Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose,
Fu' sweet upon its thorny tree!
And may fause Luver staw my rose,
But ah! She left the thorn wi' me.

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