Ca' the Yowes #1 #2 #3

Ca' the Yowes

Trad
Ca' the yowes tae the knowes, (ca' - drive; knowes - hills)
Ca' them whare the heather grows
Ca' them whare the burnie rows, (rows - flows)
My bonie dearie

Hark, the mavis evening sang,
Sounding Clouden's woods amang (Clouden - tributary of the Nith)
Then a faulding let us gang (faulding - sheepfold, farm enclosure)
My bonie dearie

We'll gae doon by Clouden side
Thro' the hazels spreading wide
O'er the waves that sweetly glide
Tae the moon sae clearly

Fair and lovely as thou art
Thou hast stolen my very heart
I can dee, but canna part
My bonie dearie

As sung by Andy M. Stewart
(The Tannahill Weavers use the same set of words but sing the chorus only at the beginning and at the end.)

Ca the Yowes

(Trad)

Ca' the yowes tae the knowes

Ca' them whare the heather grows

Ca' them whare the burnie rows

My bonie dearie

As I gaed doon the water-side

There I spied my shepherd lad

He row'd me sweetly in his plaid

An he ca'd me his dearie

Will ye gae doon the water-side

And see the stream sae sweetly glide

Beneath the hazels spreading wide

The moon it shines fu' clearly

I was bred up at nae sic school

My shepherd-lad, to play the fool

A' the day tae sit in dool (dool - grief)

Wi' naebody to hear me

Ye sall get rings and ribbons meet

Cauf-leather shoon upon your feet

And in my airms ye lie and sleep

And ye sall be my dearie

If ye'll but stand to what ye've said

I'll gyang wi' you, my shepherd lad

And ye maun rowe me in your plaid

And I sall be your dearie

Repeat 1

As sung by Gordeanna McCulloch

Ca' the Yowes

(Trad)

Ca' the yowes to the knowes,

Ca' them where the heather growes,

Ca' them where the burnie rowes,

My bonnie dearie.

Will ye gang down yon water side,

That thro' the glen does saftly glide,

And I sall row thee in my plaid,

My bonnie dearie?

Ye sall hae the rings and ribbons meet,

Calf-leather shoon upon your feet,

And in my bosom ye sall sleep,

My bonnie dearie.

I was brought up at nae sic school,

My shepherd lad, to play the fool,

Nor sit the livelong day in dool,

Lanely and irie.

Yon yowes and lammies on the plain,

Wi' a' the gear my dad did hain,

I'se gie thee, if thou'lt be mine ain,

My bonnie dearie.

Come weel, come wae, whate'er betide,

Gin ye'll prove true, I'se be your bride,

And ye sall row me in your plaid,

My winsome dearie.

Said to be the original version as collected by Robert Burns (see notes)

Susannes Folksong-Notizen

[1989:] Mrs. Burns, who was fond of singing this song, used to point out that the second verse and the closing verse were by the poet. Burns remodelled it for Thomson's Collection, which is the version used on this album. Tibbie Pagan of Muirkirk, is the reputed authoress of the old set amended by Burns. (Andy M. Stewart, notes 'Songs of Robert Burns')
"Mr. Stephen Clarke took down this song [SMM #264] in 1787, when Burns and he were spending an evening with the Rev. Mr Clunie. Burns, however, added two stanzas to the song, and made several alterations on the old verses, but not in his happiest manner." (Stenhouse in 'Illustrations to SMM') Stenhouse's note goes on to quote from Burns' letter of Sept., 1794, and give the text of Burns song there, as provided by Murray above. Stenhouse made no mention of where he acquired what he says are the old verses here.
(Bruce O., www.mudcat.org , 17 Feb)

Henry's Songbook

Ca' the Yowes

Susannes Folksong-Notizen