| Download Version 1 Barry Taylor Download Version 2 Lesley Nelson |
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The Lady Bothwell of the tune is Lady Anne Bothwell, the daughter of the Bishop of Orkney and her cousin, Colonel Alexander Erskine, son of the Earl of Mar, who was killed in 1640.*
According George Graham's Songs of Scotland, Bishop Percy writes that a fragment of this ballad in his manuscripts was written at least as early as 1558, in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign. As the Earl of Mar was killed later than that, Graham speculates that Percy mixed up his dates. The ballad was also published in Watson's Collection, printed in Edinburgh in 1711 and the ballad with music was in Orpheus Caledonius (1725). However, Hyperion Records has this tune on its English Orpheus series. According to its website the tune was written in 1791 by Joseph Corfe (1741-1820). The tune is also known as Baloo, My Boy. |
Baloo, my boy, lie still and sleep It grieves me sore to hear thee weep If thou'lt be silent I'll be glad Thy moaning makes my heart full sad. Baloo, my boy, thy mother's joy Thy father bred me great annoy Baloo, baloo, baloo, baloo Baloo, baloo, lu-li-li-lu. O'er thee I keep my lonely watch Intent thy lightest breath to catch O, when thou wak'st to see thee smile And thus my sorrow to beguile. Baloo, my boy, thy mother's joy Thy father bred me great annoy Baloo, my boy, lie still and sleep It grieves me sore to hear thee weep. Twelve weary months have crept away Since he, upon thy natal day Left thee and me, to seek afar A bloody fate in doubtful war. Baloo, my boy, lie still and sleep It grieves me sore to hear thee weep If thou'lt be silent, I'll be glad Thy moaning makes my heart full sad. I dreamed a dream but yesternight Thy father slain in foreign fight He, wounded, stood beside my bed His blood ran down upon thy head He spoke no word, but looked on me Bent low, and gave a kiss to thee! Baloo, baloo, my darling boy Thou'rt now alone thy mother's joy. |
| From
The Saltire Scottish Song Book and *Songs of Scotland The Royal Edition, Volume I See Bibliography for full information. And Bruce Olsen's Roots of Folk Website |
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