Author: David Gilfillan

The morn was fair the sky was clear
No breeze came over the sea
When mary left her highland home
And wandered forth with me
The flowers be-decked the mountainside
And fragrance filled the vale
But by far the sweetest flower there
Was the rose of allendale

Oh the rose of allendale
Sweet rose of allendale
By far the sweetest flower there
Was the rose of allendale

Where e’er I wandered east or west
Though fate began to lour
A solace still was she to me
In sorrow’s lonely hour
When tempests lashed our lonely barque
And rent her quivering sail
One maiden’s form withstood the storm

‘Twas the rose of allendale

Oh sweet rose of allendale
One maiden’s form withstood the storm
‘Twas the rose of allendale

And when my fever’d lips were parched
On afric’s burning sands
She whispered hopes of happiness
And tales of distant lands
My life has been a wilderness
Unblessed by fortune’s wheel
Had fate not linked my love to hers
The rose of allendale

Oh sweet rose of allendale
Sweet rose of allendale
Had fate not linked my love to hers
The rose of allendale

Chorus.

Farewell to Nova Scotia, the sea-bound coast,
Let your mountains dark and dreary be
When I’m far away, on the briny ocean tossed,
Will you ever heave a sigh or a wish for me?

The sun was setting in the West
The birds were singing on every tree
All nature seemed to be at rest
But, alas, there was no rest for me.

I grieve to leave my native home
I grieve to leave my comrades all
And my parents whom I hold so dear
And the bonny, bonny lass that I do adore.

I have two brothers and they are at rest.
Their hands are folded on their chest.
But a poor and simple sailor just like me
Must be tossed and turned on the deep, dark sea.

The drums do beat and the horns do alarm
My captain calls; I must obey
Farewell, farewell, to Nova Scotia’s charm
For it’s early in the morning I am bound far away

Farewell tae Tarwathie
Adieu Mormond Hill
And the dear land of Crimmond
I bid you farewell
I’m bound off for Greenland
And ready to sail
In hopes to find riches
In hunting the whale

]Farewell to my comrades
For a while we must part
And likewise the dear lass
Who first won my heart
The cold coast of Greenland
My love will not chill
And the longer my absence
More loving she’ll feel

Our ship is well rigged
And she’s ready to sail
The crew they are anxious
To follow the whale
Where the icebergs do float
And the stormy winds blow
Where the land and the ocean
Is covered with snow

The cold coast of Greenland
Is barren and bare
No seed time nor harvest
Is ever known there
And the birds here sing sweetly
In mountain and dale
But there’s no bird in Greenland
To sing to the whale

There is no habitation
For a man to live there
And the king of that country
Is the fierce Greenland bear
And there’ll be no temptation
To tarry long there
With our ship bumper full
We will homeward repair

It was in and through the window broads
And a’ the tirlie wirlies o’t
The sweetest kiss that e’er I got
Was from my Dainty Davie

Chorus.

Oh, leeze me on your curly pow
Dainty Davie, Dainty Davie
Leeze me on your curly pow
My ain dear Dainty Davie

It was doon amang my daddy’s pease
And underneath the cherry trees
Oh, there he kissed me as he pleased
For he was my ain dear Davie

When he was chased by a dragoon
Into my bed he was laid doon
I thought him worthy o’ his room
For he’s my Dainty Davie

Chorus

Ho ro my nut-brown maiden,
Hee ree my nut-brown maiden,
Ho ro ro maiden,
For she’s the maid for me.

Her eye so softly beaming,
Her look so frank and free,
In waking or in dreaming,
Is evermore with me.

O Mary, mild-eyed Mary,
By land or on the sea,
Though time or tide may vary
My heart beats true for thee.

And when winters over
And bright summer comes again,
I’ll fetch my nut-brown maiden
Down from the bonnie glen.

Oh the noble fleet of whalers out sailing from Dundee,
well manned by British sailors to work them on the sea; 
on the Western Ocean passage none with them can compare 
for there’s not a ship could make the trip as the Balena I declare. 

Chorus:

And the wind is on her quarter and her engine working free, 
and there’s no other sailer a-sailing from Dundee 
can beat the aul’ Balena and you needna try her on, 
for we challenge all both large and small from Dundee to St. Johns. 

There’s the new built Terra Nova, she’s a model with no doubt, 
there’s the Arctic and the Aurora, you’ve heard so much about, 
there’s Jacklin’s model mail-boat, the terror of the sea 
couldn’t beat the aul’ Balena, boys, on a passage from Dundee. 

Bold Jacklin carries canvas and fairly raises steam 
and Captain Guy’s a daring boy, goes ploughing through the stream, 
but Mallan says the Eskimo could beat the blooming lot, 
but to beat the aul’ Balena, boys, they find it rather hot. 

And now that we have landed, boys, where the rum is mighty cheap, 
we’ll drink success to Captain Burnett, lads, for getting us ower [sic] the deep, 
and a health to all our sweethearts, an’ to our wives so fair, 
not another ship could make that trip but the Balena I declare.

Rouse ye men of old St. Ronan’s Gather in from hills and commons, Ready aye to hear the summons, On, St. Ronan’s, on! Though we see no warlike foemen, Nodding plume or flashing spear, Call we forth the Border yeomen, Fame awaits them here Chrorus On St. Ronan’s, join the chorus Think of brave men gone before us While the banner’s waving o’re us On, St. Ronan’s, On! From the ages dim and hoary, Come the tales of battles glory, Linked with Border song and story, On, St. Ronan’s, On! Echoes wake in Leithen valley, Plora’s shade and broad Minch Muir; Stalwart lads will gladly rally From the Vale of Quair Sons from far, with joy we meet you, Old time friends will kindly treat you, Border maidens fair will greet you, On St. Ronan’s, On! Shades of great ones hover near us, Wilson, Hogg and Glassford Bell, Scott the minstrel’s song will cheer us, By St. Ronan’s well For the freedom bought so dearly For the land we love sincerely At the Games we’ll gather yearly On, St. Ronan’s, On! We have rights and we’ll preserve them Honest men have naught to fear Customs old and we’ll observe them Each returning year Chorus

It was in the month of May my bonny lassie o
It was in the month of May my bonny lassie o

It was in the month of May
When the flowers they were gay
And the lambs did sport and play, my bonny lassie o

CHORUS:
O the shearing’s not for you, my bonny lassie o
No the shearing’s not for you, my bonny lassie o
The shearing’s not for you
For your back it winna bow
And your belly’s rolling fu’, my bonny lassie o

Don’t you mind the banks of Ayr, my bonny laddie o

Don’t you mind the banks of Ayr, my bonny laddie o
Don’t you mind the banks of Ayr
When you drew me in your snare
And you left me in despair, my bonny laddie o

Don’t you mind on yonder hill, my bonnie laddie o

Don’t you mind on yonder hill, my bonnie laddie o
Don’t you mind on yonder hill
When you swore you would me kill
If you did not get your will, my bonny laddie o

Tis you may kill me dead, my bonny laddie o

Tis you may kill me dead, my bonny laddie o
Tis I’ll not kill you dead
Nor make your body bleed
Nor marry you with speed, my bonny lassie o

The news from Moidart cam yestreen
Will soon gar mony ferlie
For ships o’ war have just come in
And landed royal Chairlie

Chorus:
Come through the heather, around him gaither
You’re a’ the welcomer early
Around him cling wi’ a’ your kin
For wha’ll be king but Chairlie

The Highland clans wi’ sword in hand
Fae John o’ Groats to Airlie
Have tae a man declared to stand
Or fa’ for royal Chairlie

The lowlands a’ baith great and sma’
Wi many’s the Lord and Laird
They declared for Scotias King and Law
Aye and wha dae ye think but Chairlie

There’s ne’er a lass in a’ the land
But vows baith late and early
Tae man she’ll ne’er gie heart or han’
Wha wadna ficht for Chairlie

Then here’s a health tae Chairlie’s cause
An’ be’t complete and early
His very name oor heart’s blood warms
To arms for royal Chairlie

Come through the heather, around him gaither
Come Ronald, come Donald, come a’ th’ githir
Declare him rightful, lawful king
For wha’ll be king but Chairlie

Summer’s a pleasant time
Flowers of every colour
The water runs o’er the heugh
And I long for my true lover
Aye waukin-O
Waukin still and weary
Sleep I can get nane
For thinking of my dearie
Aye waukin, O

When I sleep I dream
When I wake I’m eerie
Sleep I can get nane
For thinking of my dearie
Aye waukin-O
Waukin still and weary
Sleep I can get nane
For thinking of my dearie
Aye waukin, O

Lonely night comes on
And all the lave are sleepin’
I think on my bonnie lass
And blur my eyes wi’ weepin’
Aye waukin-O
Waukin still and weary
Sleep I can get nane
For thinking of my dearie
Ay waukin, O