Lyr Req: Jenny o' the Braes (Alan Reid)

Subject: Lyr Req: Jenny O' The Braes
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 10:10 PM

Can anyone help with these lyrics, I could not find them on the site anywhere

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jenny O' The Braes
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 02:49 AM

Well, I've found that "Jenny O' The Braes" was written by Alan Reid and recorded by the Battlefield Band on a 1998 CD called Rain, Hail, or Shine. It was performed on A Prairie Home Companion on December 13, 1997. Click here for the show - but I can't tell if it's the entire show or if it will include the song.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: JENNIE O' THE BRAES (from Davy Steele)
From: Cuilionn
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 11:47 AM

Ah'll mak an attempt, frae listenin tae a CD o it... a grand song in the Scots Leid, whilk maeved me on fairst hearin it in concert, an stirs ma soul e'en yet. Davy introducit the sang in concert by craicin aboot "those folk that jist dinnae fit in" but hae their ain unique gifts wairth honorin...
   Hope the lyrics belaw wairk for ye, Guest--let me ken (know) if ye need help wi the Scots wairds.
   --Cuilionn


JENNIE O' THE BRAES
(As sung by Davy Steele on "Rain, Hail, or Shine")

The people cried her Jennie o the Braes
An she wis weel-kent tae us aa.
Her ganglin body, hingin oot her claithes,
Made her stan oot when
she strode doon the braes.
Twa days a week, she'd come visitin the toon;
She'd tak the braes rain, hail or shine;
Her silver hair wuid be fleein in the wind
An' folk thocht her a craiture mad or wild

When ice an snaw gripped aa the kintry,
Ye'd see the smoak rise frae her chimney;
The world ablaw cuid then rest easy
for Jennie o' the Braes

The wind blew allus roond the muir;
It rattled on her cottage windae.
She sat inside claise by the fire;
She wis content in her ain company
An if ye askit her if she wis weel,
She'd say "I'm grand, Sir, how's yersel?"
An then she'd trudge on up the hill--
Jennie o the Braes

She wisnae bothered owermuch wi gear;
She lived on cheese, breid, oats an barley.
She wisnae fashed wi trouble or care;
She'd spurn the knock that brocht a helpin haun.
Sometimes she'd wander ower the muir,
Collectin heather, plants an fleurs,
An singing saftly tae hersel--
Jennie o the Braes

Last year, she bidit mair at hame.
Her cottage door wis seldom open
An when the spring fleurs cam tae bloom,
She hardly ever ventur'd doon the braes.
Ane day when someane wis oot walkin,
They saw her chimney wisnae smoakin;
They foun her sittin in the kitchen,
A smile upon her face...
Jennie o' the Braes

Subject: Lyr Add: JENNIE O' THE BRAES
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Jul 04 - 03:47 PM

Cuilionn, would it be impertinent of me to ask for an English translation? [grin]
I'll use our Scots glossary and see what I can do.
What a powerful song!

-Joe Offer-

Here's what I come up with:

The people called her Jennie of the Braes (hillsides)
And she was well-known to us all
Her gangling body, hanging out of her clothes
Made her stand out when
she strode down the hillesides.
Two days a week, she's come visiting the town;
She'd take the hillsides, rain, hail, or shine;
Her silver hair would be fleeing in the wind,
And people thought her a creature, mad or wild.

When ice and snow gripped all the country,
You'd see the smoke rse from her chimney;
The world below could then rest easy
for Jennie of the Braes

The wind aways blew around the moor,
It rattled on her cottage windows.
She sat inside, close by the fire.
She was content in her own company.
And if you asked her if she was well,
She'd say, "I'm grand, sir. How's yourself?"
And then she's trudge on up the hill
Jennie of the Braes.

She wasn't bothered overmuch with gear (possessions)
She lived on cheese, bread, oats, and barley
She wasn't bothered by trouble or care.
She'd spurn the knock that brought a helping hand.
Sometimes she'd wander over the moor,
Collecting heather, plants, and flowers
And singing softly to herself,
Jennie o the Braes

Last year, she stayed more at home,
Her cottage door was seldom open
And when the spring flowers came to bloom,
She hardly ever ventured down the hillsides.
And one day when someone was out walking,
They saw her chimney was not smoking.
They found her sitting in the kitchen,
A smile upon her face...
Jennie o' the Braes

The people cried her Jennie o the Braes
An she wis weel-kent tae us aa.
Her ganglin body, hingin oot her claithes,
Made her stan oot when
she strode doon the braes.
Twa days a week, she'd come visitin the toon;
She'd tak the braes rain, hail or shine;
Her silver hair wuid be fleein in the wind
An' folk thocht her a craiture mad or wild

When ice an snaw gripped aa the kintry,
Ye'd see the smoak rise frae her chimney;
The world ablaw cuid then rest easy
for Jennie o' the Braes

The wind blew allus roond the muir;
It rattled on her cottage windae.
She sat inside claise by the fire;
She wis content in her ain company
An if ye askit her if she wis weel,
She'd say "I'm grand, Sir, how's yersel?"
An then she'd trudge on up the hill--
Jennie o the Braes

She wisnae bothered owermuch wi gear;
She lived on cheese, breid, oats an barley.
She wisnae fashed wi trouble or care;
She'd spurn the knock that brocht a helpin haun.
Sometimes she'd wander ower the muir,
Collectin heather, plants an fleurs,
An singing saftly tae hersel--
Jennie o the Braes

Last year, she bidit mair at hame.
Her cottage door wis seldom open
An when the spring fleurs cam tae bloom,
She hardly ever ventur'd doon the braes.
Ane day when someane wis oot walkin,
They saw her chimney wisnae smoakin;
They foun her sittin in the kitchen,
A smile upon her face...
Jennie o' the Braes

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jenny O' The Braes
From: Bearheart
Date: 10 Jul 04 - 07:24 PM

Could we have the tune as well? I've never heard of it-- but I really like the words.

Bekki

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jenny O' The Braes
From: JennyO
Date: 10 Jul 04 - 09:33 PM

Don't know where to find the tune, or at least, how to get it out of my head and on here. I have it on that Battlefield Band CD that was mentioned earlier. It really stood out for me, that song - maybe partly because my name is Jenny - anyhow it really moved me for some reason the first time I heard it. I think I related to it.

Sorry I can't be more help to you - it certainly is worth finding the tune for this lovely song, so I hope you do.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jenny o' the Braes
From: GUEST,Fletch
Date: 01 Aug 04 - 11:09 PM

If you want to hear a wonderful rendition of this song, it is available on a CD called "Misery Loves Company" which is a solo project of two of the members of the Celtic band Kilbrannan from the Western New York area.

The CD can be obtained from their website www.kilbrannan.com and you can also hear samples of their other music as well...samples of the above CD are coming soon...

Hope this helps someone find this very beautiful song...

Cheers

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jenny o' the Braes
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 02 Aug 04 - 07:47 AM

BUY THE BATTLEFIELD BAND'S CD 'RAIN, HAIL OR SHINE'!!!
They play the tune and sing the words on there!

And Mike Katz's piping of the air at the end is Hair-On-The-Back-Of-The-Neck-Raising.

Please buy the CD - it's got some wonderful stuff on it (like Norland Wind), and it's a fantastic legacy from the wonderful Davy Steele. RIP Davy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jenny o' the Braes
From: JennyO
Date: 02 Aug 04 - 08:34 AM

I totally agree with Strollin' Johnny about the Battlefield Band CD. Jenny o' the Braes is only one of an excellent collection - well worth buying.

Jenny

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jenny o' the Braes
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 01 Aug 11 - 05:37 PM

The song is now recorded by Saltfishforty, a duo from Orkney. I just heard them sing it at Cambridge Folk Festival.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jenny o' the Braes (Alan Reid)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Jun 20 - 06:55 PM

Do we have accurate lyrics and songwriter attribution?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jenny o' the Braes (Alan Reid)
From: Reinhard
Date: 30 Jun 20 - 02:02 AM

Cuilionn's transcription is more accurate than the lyrics printed on the booklet of "Rain, Hail or Shine", with two lines in verses 1 and 6 changed from the printed version. The singer is the author Alan Reid, though, not Davy Steele.