Oh Waly, Waly
Child listed this as a "Jamie Douglas" variant (Child 204). It's most likely its own song, though it shares verses with "Jamie Douglas", "The Water is Wide" and "Must I Go Bound", and "There is a Ship" among others. I keep finding its influence in the songs of many countries like Ireland's "Carrickfergus" and America's "Fair and Tender Ladies" - but this version that is mostly in the Old Scots is my favorite. "Waly" is a lamenting or mourning word... I have tried to put my best guesses as far as pronounciation (in italics) and meaning (in quotes) for the words that may not be familiar. Any corrections or elaborations would be welcome...C F C
O, waly wa - ly up the bank
Am F G G7
And waly, wa - ly down the brae,
Em Am C F
And waly wa - ly yon burnside
C G C
Where I and my love wont to gae!
C F C
I leaned my back unto an aik aik= ahk "oak"
Am F G G7
And thocht it was a trusty tree
Em Am C F
But first it bow'd and then it brak brak = brahk "broke"
C G C
Sae my true love did lichtlie me. lichtlie = lickt-lee "lie to"C F C
O waly, waly but love be bonnie
Am F G G7
A little time while it is new,
Em Am C F
But when it's auld it waxes cauld auld "old" waxes = "grows" cauld = "cold"
C G C
And fades away like morning dew.
C F C
O, wherefore should I busk my heid, busk my heid = haid I think it means dress, or cover my head
Am F G G7
Or wherefore should I kame my hair? kame = "comb"
Em Am C F
For my true-love has me forsook,
C G C
And says he'll never love me mair. mair = "more"C F C
Now Arthur's seat shall be my bed, I don't know where Arthur's Seat is, but I am still looking....
Am F G G7
The sheets shall ne'er be pressed by me,
Em Am C F
St. Anton's Well shall be my drink, Same for St. Anton's Well - Hmmm sounds like a story here...
C G C
Since my true-love has forsaken me.
C F C
Martinmas wind, when wilt thou blaw, Martinmas = Feast of St. Martin, evidently in the fall blaw = "blow"
Am F G G7
And shake the green leaves aff the tree? aff = "off"
Em Am C F
O gentle death when wilt thou come?
C G C
For of my life I am wearie.C F C
'Tis not the frost that freezes fell, fell = "bad or dangerous"
Am F G G7
Nor blawing snaw's inclemencie; blawing = "blowing" snaw's = "snow's"
Em Am C F
'Tis not sic cauld that mak's me cry, sic = "so" mak's = mahk's "makes" cry = cree
C G C
But my love's heart's grown cauld to me.
C F C
When we came in by Glasgow toun, toun = toon "town"
Am F G G7
We were a come - ly sicht to see; sicht = sickt "sight"
Em Am C F
My love was clad in the black velvet,
C G C
And I mysel' in cramasie. cramasie was apparently a rich fabricC F C
But had I wist before I kiss't wist = "thought"
Am F G G7
That love had been sae ill to win, sae = say "so"
Em Am C F
I'd lock'd my heart in a case of gold,
C G C
And pinn'd it wi' a silver pin.
C F C
Oh, oh, if my young babe were born,
Am F G G7
And set upon the nourris' knee, nourris = nurse's, i.e. wet nurse or governess
Em Am C F
And I mysel' were dead and gone,
C G C
And the green grass grow - in' ower me!
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