Henry's Songbook

Lang hae we parted been, lassie my dearie
Noo we are met again lassie lie near me
Near me, near me, lassie my dearie
Lang hast thou lain thy lane - lassie lie near me

Frae dread Culloden's field bloody and dreary
Mourning my country's fate lanely and weary
Weary, weary, lanely and weary
Become a sad banished wight far frae my dearie

Loud, loud the wind did roar, stormy and eerie
Far frae my native shore dangers stood near me
Near me, near me, dangers stood near me
Noo I've escaped them a', lassie lie near me

A' that I hae endured, lassie my dearie
Here in thine arms is cured, lassie lie near me
Near me, near me, lassie lie near me
Lang hast thou lain thy lane, lassie lie near me

(as sung by Dick Gaughan)

[1981:] Culloden was the last battle fought in the series of events which really constituted the British Bourgeois Revolution (although British historians would be horrified at the thought of calling the events of the late 17th and early 18th centuries "revolution") and also the last battle fought on military lines on "British" territory. It signalled the end of Scotland as a self-determining country and the real beginning of British imperialism. This song is from James Hogg's books, 'Jacobite Relics', volume II. Many of the Jacobite songs deal with the fate of the old Feudal Establishment, but this one deals with the problem faced by one of the Scots themselves, who had gone into exile after Culloden, but risked his life to return for his loved ones. (Notes 'Folk Friends II')