Lyr Req: Kelvin's Purling Stream

Subject: Lyr Req: Kelvin's Purling Stream
From: GUEST,Sean
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 03:09 PM

Beautiful Scottish song done by Tony Cuffe on "Sae Will We Yet" -- lyrics and any other info much appreciated.

Ta very much...

Subject: Lyr Add: KELVIN'S PURLING STREAM
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 04:04 PM

My copy of Roud's index lists the sole source for this as Ord's Bothy Ballads and Songs, so here's the version from there. It appears without tune and without comment, so this is all I can do for you.

Mick

---

KELVIN'S PURLING STREAM

The summer time being in its prime,
The weather calm and clear,
I left that town called Portadown
Between me and my dear.
In Glasgow city I arrived,
And to Woodside I came,
Where all alone I made my moan
To Kelvin's purling stream.

Ye stream, said I, as I passed by,
Give ear to what I say,
How can you roll, without control,
Unto some foreign quay?
Your murmurs pain my bosom sore;
Here stands an honest boy,
He'll ne'er prove false to the girl he loves
Till Kelvin's stream runs dry.

There's many a pretty little fish,
Swims in yon water clear;
There's many a long and a weary mile
Between me and my dear;
There's many a flower grows in yon bower
That would my fancy please,
But I'll ne'er forget the girl I love
Who lives near Lurgan Braes.


Source: Ord: Bothy Songs And Ballads

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kelvin's Purling Stream
From: Jack Campin
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 07:09 PM

Different one on the Pay the Reckoning website, which they say they got from the Bodleian broadside collection:

Lurgan Braes

The summertime being in its prime
The weather calm and clear
My troubled mind no rest could find
For thinking of my dear
I left that town called Portadown
Unto Woodside I came
Where all alone I made my moan
To Kelvin's purling streams

Stream said I as I passed by
Give ear to what I say
How can you roll without control
To such a foreign key
Your murmurs bewail my bosom sorely
Here stands an apprentice boy
He'll never prove false to the girl he loves
Till Kelvin stream runs dry

There is many a pretty little fish
Swims in yon river clear
There is many a long and weary mile
Between me and my dear
There is many a flower grows in yon bower
But none my fancy please
He sobbed and cried he loved a maid
Lived near to Lurgan Brae

There is a bonnie wee lass
In my own country
Ad her I will go and see
But if she's dead or wed
I'm at my liberty
If ever I chance to go that way
As I suppose I may
I will call and see the lass I loved
Who lived on Lurgan Braes.

The Ord version is more tightly edited so I'd guess the Bodleian one is older.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kelvin's Purling Stream
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 07:41 PM

I thought the only entries in the Broadside index were to references, but maybe I overlooked the sheet in my haste. The Bodleian reference is 2806 c. 14(76).

The sheet is exactly as Jack's post above with attribution:

Printed and Sold by James Lindsay, Wholesale Stationer &c., 11 King Street (City.) Glasgow, followed by their many services. The Bodleian index adds: Printers Series(101).

The Bodleian give the date range: Between 1851 and 1910.


Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kelvin's Purling Stream
From: GUEST,Sean
Date: 02 Sep 09 - 12:28 PM

Thank you Mick and Jack, both! Appreciate lyrics and notes for both versions. God, I love Mudcat...