Traditional Scottish Songs
- O'er The Muir
Stuart Lewis (1756-1818) who wrote the song below, was the eldest son of an innkeeper at Ecclefechan in Annandale. He was named Stuart after Prince Charles Edward Stuart because his father was a zealous Jacobite. He became a merchant-tailor near Chester, in England, but his partner later absconded to America with a considerable amount of the firm's money. Lewis returned to Scotland penniless, after paying off creditors. Back in Ecclefechan, he started another tailor's business and married a local girl. He established a village library and a debating club, became a leader in every literary movement in the district and a writer of poetry of some merit. But a combination of bad luck and alcohol resulted in him becoming impoverished again. He eked out a living as an itinerant poet, trying to support his wife and six children, giving away his compositions for food (or whisky). He always expressed himself in the language of enthusiasm, despised prudence and common sense, and commended the impulsive and fanciful - as the song below illustrates.
O'er The Muir
Ae morn of May, when fields were gay,
Serene and charming was the weather,
I chanced to roam some miles frae home,
Far o'er yon muir, amang the heather.
O'er the muir amang the heather,
O'er the muir amang the heather,
How healthsome 'tis to range the muirs,
And brush the dew from vernal heather.I walk'd along, and humm'd a song,
My heart was light as ony feather,
And soon did pass a lovely lass,
Was wading barefoot through the heather.
O'er the muir amang the heather,
O'er the muir amang the heather;
The bonniest lass that e'er I saw
I met ae morn amang the heather.Her eyes divine, mair bright did shine,
Than the most clear unclouded ether;
A fairer form did ne'er adorn
A brighter scene than blooming heather.
O'er the muir amang the heather,
O'er the muir amang the heather;
There's ne'er a lass in Scotia's isle,
Can vie with her amang the heather.I said, "Dear maid, be not afraid;
Pray sit you down, let 's talk together;
For, oh! my fair, I vow and swear,
You've stole my heart amang the heather."
O'er the muir amang the heather,
O'er the muir amang the heather;
Ye swains, beware of yonder muir,
You'll lose your hearts amang the heather.She answer'd me, right modestly,
"I go, kind sir, to seek my father,
Whose fleecy charge he tends at large,
On yon green hills beyond the heather."
O'er the muir amang the heather,
O'er the muir amang the heather;
Were I a king, thou shou'dst be mine,
Dear blooming maid, amang the heather.Away she flew out of my view,
Her home or name I ne'er could gather,
But aye sin' syne I sigh and pine
For that sweet lass amang the heather.
O'er the muir amang the heather,
O'er the muir amang the heather,
While vital heat glows in my heart,
I'll love the lass amang the heather.Meaning of unusual words:
Ae = one
muir = moor
aye sin' syne = ever since then
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