The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #1838   Message #6453
Posted By: Frank Phillips
08-Jun-97 - 08:36 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Huntingtower
Subject: Lyr Add: HUNTING TOWER
I was trying to learn the song Hunting Tower from the Corrie's songbook but there seemed to be some "holes" in the thread of the logic. I checked another source and got a version that functions properly as a call-and-answer song with one verse for each protagonist (who are of opposite gender).

I checked DT and got only Duke of Athol, which is obviously the basis for the song but is not identical. If my insertion of the BR's is correct "Hunting Tower" or "Huntingtower" should appear in some logical form below.

When ye gang awa, Jamie,
Far across the sea, laddie;
When ye gang to Germanie,
What will you send to me laddie?

I'll send ye a braw new gown, Jeanie,
I'll send ye a braw new gown, lassie,
And it shall be o' silk and gowd,
Wi' Valenciennes set round, laddie.

That's nae gift ava', Jamie,
That's nae gift ava', laddie;
There's ne'er a gown in a' the land,
I'd like when you're awa, laddie.

When I come back again, Jeanie,
When I come back again, lassie,
I'll bring wi' me a gallant gay,
To be your ain gude man, lassie.

Be my gude man your sel', Jamie,
Be my gude man your sel', laddie;
And tak' me owre to Gemanie,
Wi' you at hame to dwell, laddie.

I dinna ken how that wad do, Jeanie,
I dinna see how that can be , lassie,
For I've a wife and bairnies three,
And I'm no sure how ye'd 'gree, lassie.

Ye should hae telt me that in time, Jamie,
Ye should hae telt me that lang syne, laddie;
For had I kent o' your fause heart,
You ne'er had gotten mine, laddie.
(*** in the first 2 lines leave out the "that" and run the "me" into the next word or you'll never scan)

Your een were like a spell, Jeanie,
Your een were like a spell, lassie,
That ilka day bewitched me sae,
I could na help my sel' lassie.

Gae back to you wife and hame, Jamie,
Gae back to your bairnies three, laddie;
And I will pray they ne'er may thole,
A broken hear like mine, laddie.

Dry that tearfu' e'e, Jeanie,
Dry that tearfu' e'e, lassie;
I've neither wife nor bairnies three,
And I'll wed nane but thee, lassie.

Think weel for fear ye rue, Jamie,
Think weel for fear ye rue, laddie;
For I ha'e neither gow'd nor land,
To be a match for you laddie.

Blair in Athol's mine, Jeanie,
Blair in Athol's mine, lassie:
St Johnston's bow'r and Hunting tow'r,
And a' that's mine is thine lassie.

(For a duet you can repeat the last verse with both singing simultaneously as follows

MALE: Blair in Athol's mine, Jeanie. FEMALE: Blair in Athol's thine, Jamie.
MALE: Blair in Athol's mine, lassie. FEMALE: Blair in Athol's thine, laddie.
BOTH: St Johnston's bow'r and Hunting tow'r,
MALE: And a' that's mine is thine, lassie. FEMALE: And a' that's thine is mine, laddie.

ava=at all (but maybe this should just be " at a' "
gowd=gold
telt=told
'gree = agree
thole=endure,
St. Johnston= Perth.