Tune Req: Bonnie Fisher Lass

Subject: Bonnie Fisher Lass
From: Kernow John
Date: 17 Oct 01 - 05:11 PM

Can anyone help with the tune, midi or abc for this song? I think Isla St. Clair does it.
Twas in the month of August one morning by the sea When violets and cowslipos they so delighted me I met a pretty damsel for an empress she might pass And my heart was captivated by the bonnie fisher lass.
Thanks in advance
John

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bonnie Fisher Lass
From: Kernow John
Date: 17 Oct 01 - 05:13 PM

Engage brain and try again!
Twas in the month of August one morning by the sea
When violets and cowslips they so delighted me
I met a pretty damsel for an empress she might pass
And my heart was captivated by the bonnie fisher lass.
KJ

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bonnie Fisher Lass
From: nutty
Date: 17 Oct 01 - 06:21 PM

I seem to remember a thread on this but Forum search is not working for ma at present ..... will try tomorrow - if no one beats me to it

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bonnie Fisher Lass
From: nutty
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 12:22 PM

Refresh .... Ragtime is still down , so no search .....can anyone else help???

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bonnie Fisher Lass
From: Joy Bennett
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 02:36 PM

I sing it and I had it from Isla St. Clair.

Nutty -- are you in the US? If so perhaps I can sing it to you over the phone. PM me. I will be away for the weekend starting tomorrow AM.

Joy

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bonnie Fisher Lass
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 18 Oct 01 - 09:12 PM

So far as I can tell, this particular song hasn't been posted here before.  If memory serves, I think the set given below is pretty much as Isla sings it.

THE BONNIE FISHER LASS

(From The Scottish Folksinger, Norman Buchan and Peter Hall, 1973; collated from set[s] in Gavin Greig's Folk Songs of the North East and "oral versions".)

'Twas in the month of August,
One morning by the sea,
When violets and cowslips,
They so delighted me,
I met a pretty damsel,
For an Empress she might pass,
And my heart was captivated
By the bonnie fisher lass.

Chorus:

Her petticoats she wore so short
They came straight below her knee;
Her handsome leg and ankle
They so delighted me.
Her rosy cheeks, her yellow hair,
For an Empress she might pass,
And wi' her creel she daily toiled,
The bonnie fisher lass.

I stepped up beside her
And to her I did say,
"Why are you out so early,
Why are you going this way?"
She said "I'm going to look for bait,
Now allow me for to pass,
For our lines we must get ready,"
Said the bonnie fisher lass.

"When Father's out upon the sea
We're out upon the pier,
For we must dread in terror
And we must dread in fear,
Lest he should meet a watery grave
And be snatched from our grasp,
And we'd wander broken-hearted,"
Said the bonnie fisher lass.

A midi of the tune as given in the above-mentioned book goes to  The Mudcat Midi Pages;  meanwhile, it can be heard via the  South Riding Folk Network  site:

The Bonnie Fisher Lass

Suggested guitar chords are given (in each case matched to the syllable following) , as follows:

'Twas [D] in the month of [A7] August,
One [D] morning [A7] by the [D] sea,
When [G] violets and [C] cow [A7] slips,
They [D] so delighted me,
I [G] met a pretty [C] dam [A7] sel,
For an [D] Empress [C] she might [A7] pass,
And my [D] heart was captiv [A7] ated
By the [D] bonnie [A7] fisher [D] lass.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Bonnie Fisher Lass
From: Kernow John
Date: 19 Oct 01 - 04:32 AM

Thank you all.
Malcom what a brilliant site and resource.
I am ashamed to say I've never visited before but I will again and order the tune books.
Thanks again all.
John