Origins: Young Munro

Subject: RE: Origins: Young Munro
From: GUEST,Danikin
Date: 31 Aug 22 - 10:58 AM

Update: agans is your in Gaelic. So fool would be my best guess for charlie.

Young Monroe, be your fool. Young Monroe, I do love you. Young Monroe, be your fool. Handsome fool, young Monroe.

By today's standard that would sound like "young Monroe, I'm a fool for you. Young Monroe, I do love you, young Monroe. Young Monroe, I'm a fool for you. You handsome fool, young Monroe."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Watch

History

The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot (The Black Watch) was amalgamated with the 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment of Foot to form two battalions of the newly named Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). The 42nd became the 1st Battalion, and the 73rd became the 2nd Battalion...

https://theblackwatch.co.uk/history/

Second WW

Italy

...After heavy fighting by the 1st Battalion at Gerbini and by all at Sferro, Sicily was conquered...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/42nd_Regiment_of_Foot

The six Independent Highland Companies were recruited from local clans, with one company coming from Clan Munro, one from Clan Fraser of Lovat, one from Clan Grant and three from Clan Campbell. These companies were commonly known as Am Freiceadan Dubh, or the Black Watch, this name may well have been due to the way they dressed.[6] Four more companies were added in 1739 to make a total of ten Independent Highland Companies.[7]

Subject: RE: Origins: Young Munro
From: GUEST,Danikin
Date: 31 Aug 22 - 09:57 AM

So with a bit of googling. Charlie can be a slang term for idiot and other such synonyms in Gaelic. As to the lyric in plain English, it could be read "young Monroe, be my idiot/fool. Young Monroe, I do love you. Young Monroe, young Monroe, be my idiot/fool. Handsome idiot/fool, young Monroe.

http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/english-slang/c.htm and https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/Charlie

charlie        Noun. 1. Cocaine. Probably the most commonly used slang term for this drug.
2. A fool, an idiot. Also charly.

Subject: ADD Version: Young Munro
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Oct 18 - 12:26 AM

Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection (volume 7, #1399)

#1399 B (two verses, no tune)

YOUNG MUNRO

..........
It was there I first saw young Munro
He was walking on the plainstanes lightly,
Viewing at his gallant crew.
Young Munro, Charming creature,
Young Munro has ruined me.

..........
..........
I would spend it all in the Forty-Two
For the love of Young Munro.

Subject: ADD Version: Young Munro
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Oct 18 - 12:22 AM

Not much in the Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection (volume 7, #1399)

#1399 A (one verse with tune)

YOUNG MUNRO

Oh, listen, listen, and I'll tell you
Where first I saw this bonny beau.
He was walking on the plainsh.... (?)
Viewing o'er the Forty-Two,
Young Munro, Char-les liken (?)
Young Munro's got in my room.

(handwritten lyrics - hard to read)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Young Munro
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Oct 18 - 11:53 PM

As far as I can tell, this song is not in the Digital Tradition. Here's the entry in the Traditional Ballad Index:

Young Munro

DESCRIPTION: A girl sings about Charlie Munro of the Forty-Second Highlanders, whom she loves. She describes his clothes, his appearance ("everything so neat about him," "that handome fellow") If she had an Indian treasure she would give it to the 42nd for his sake.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1905 (GreigDuncan7)
KEYWORDS: love clothes nonballad soldier
FOUND IN: Canada(Ont) Britain(Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
GreigDuncan7 1339, "Young Munro" (2 fragments, 1 tune)
Fowke-Ontario 29, "Young Munro" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #2316
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Wha Saw the Forty-Second" (subject: 42nd Highlanders or Black Watch) and references there
NOTES [52 words]: Fowke-Ontario, p. 177: "This unusual song does not seem to have been reported before in anything like this form, although two Nova Scotia songs have the same melody and refrain."
GreigDuncan7: "Mrs Gillespie, learnt from her father forty-five years ago; learnt by him about the thirties or forties. Noted 1905." - BS
Last updated in version 2.6
File: GrD71339

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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Young Munro
From: GUEST,Gail Heylmun
Date: 19 Oct 18 - 06:43 PM

"I think the chorus is saying
"Young Munro bi Charlie agam" ... the word 'agam' (pronounced 'AK-um') in Scottish Gàidhlig means "my," and 'bi' (pronounced 'BEE') is the imperative for "be". So therefore, "Young Munro be my Charlie."

This is according to a friend who knows far more Gaelic than I ever will.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Young Munro
From: GUEST,Chairlie
Date: 02 Jul 11 - 01:06 AM

I think the chorus is saying
"Young Munro bi Charlie agam" ... the word 'agam' (pronounced 'AK-um') in Scottish Gàidhlig means "my," and 'bi' (pronounced 'BEE') is the imperative for "be". So therefore, "Young Munro be my Charlie."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Young Munro
From: GUEST,Noah Hogan
Date: 18 Jan 11 - 09:50 AM

I love this song SO much!!! :D I just heard it twice, on The Cottar's new CD (what a FEAST it was to hear SUCH beautiful lyrics!!! :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Young Munro
From: Roberto
Date: 30 Mar 08 - 07:24 AM

Thanks a lot, Jim. Roberto

Subject: Lyr Add: YOUNG MUNRO
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 30 Mar 08 - 04:51 AM

This is how it appears in 'Traditional Singers and Songs from Ontario,
along with Edith Fowke's note.
Jim Carroll

YOUNG MUNRO

It was on a Tuesday evening
Just at twelve o'clock at night,
I espied a handsome fair maid
Sitting by the candle light.

CHORUS:
Young Munro be Charlie agans,
Young Munro, I do love you!
Young Munro be Charlie agans,
Handsome Charlie, young Munro.

With the candle on the table
And the basin on the stand,
With a towel around her elbow
Like an angel she did stand.

Listen, listen, I will tell you
The first time I saw Munro,
Walking o'er the plains of Italy
Viewing of his Highland Co.

His shoes were made of Turkish leather
And his stockings made of silk,
Everything so neat about him,
And his skin as white as milk.

If you see that handsome fellow
With his red coat trimmed with blue,
Tell him if he loves another
My poor heart shall break in two.

If I had an Indian treasure,
Forty million in great store,
I would give to the Forty-Second
For the sake of young Munro.

29. YOUNG MUNRO. This unusual Scottish song does not seem to have been reported before in anything like this form, although two Nova Scotia songs have the same melody and refrain. "Charlie Yackam" in the Canadian record of "The Columbia World Library of Folk and Primitive Music" tells of the singer's love for his native land. Kenneth Peacock recorded it from the singing of "big" Norman MacMillan of Marble Mountain, Cape Breton, in 1951, and Mrs. Archie Kennedy, a Gaelic singer and speaker from Cape Breton, told Walter Wiley that it was written during the first World War to help instill a sense of patriotism in Cape Breton men serving in the Canadian armed forces. Helen Creighton has also recorded a song called "Charlie Yackum" which has a similar refrain, but its stanzas are ones usually found in such songs as "The Quaker's Courtship." "Charlie Yackam" is probably "Charlie agans"- Gaelic word meaning "mine."
The words Mrs. Fraser sings suggest an old-world origin. The opening stanzas echo the familiar Irish song about "The Spanish Lady," and the stanzas describing Young Munro give a romantic picture of a Highland guardsman. The Forty-Second is an old and honored Highland regiment: in his note on "Bonnie Laddie, Highland Laddie" in The Scots Musical Museum, William Stenhouse says, "In Gow's Repository, part second, there is an air called the Original Highland Laddie, or the Quick¬step of the gallant 42nd Regiment, as performed when that regiment was reviewed by his Majesty at Ashford, 7th May, 1802" (II, 315).
References:
Records: Columbia SL 211   (MacMillan).   National Museum: Creighton 153B-1875.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Young Munro
From: Roberto
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 01:56 PM

This is all I can get from Peggy Seeger's recording. Please, help.

It was on a Tuesday evening
Just at 12 o' clock at night
I espied a pretty fair maid
Sitting by the candle light

Young Munro, be (?) Charlie (…)
Young Munro, I do love you
Young Munro, be (?) Charlie (…)
Handsome Charlie, Young Munro

With a candle on the table
And a (…) on the stand
With a towel around her elbow
Like an angel she did stand

Listen, listen, I will tell you
The first time I saw Munro
Walking o'er the plains of Italy
Viewing of his Highland Co (?)

His shoes was made of Turkish leather
And his stockings made of silk
Everything so neat about him
And his skin was white as milk

If you see that handsome fellow
With his red coat trimmed in blue
Tell him if he loves another
My poor heart will break in two

If I had an Indian treasure
Forty million in great store
I'd give it all to the Forty-Second
For the sake of young Munro

Subject: Lyr Req: Young Munro
From: Roberto
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 01:31 PM

I'd like to het the text of YOUNG MUNRO, a Canadian song, possibly of Scots origin. Recorded by Peggy Seeger, in The Amorous Muse, and by John Faulkner in Nomads. Thanks. R