020 Bonie Dundee

Tune: Adew Dundee

1.

‘O, whar gat ye that hauver-meal bannock?’

‘O Silly blind body, O dinna ye see?

I gat it frae a young brisk sodger laddie

Between Saint Johnston and bonie Dundee.’

2.

‘O, gin I saw the laddie that gae me't!

Aft has he doudl'd me upon his knee;

May Heaven protect my bonie Scots laddie,

And send him hame to his babie and me!

3.

‘My blessin's upon thy sweet, wee lippie!

My blessin's upon thy bonie e'e-brie!

Thy smiles are sae like my blythe sodger laddie,

Thou's ay the dearer and dearer to me!

4.

But I'll big a bow'r on yon bonie banks,

Whare Tay rins wimplin by sae clear;

And I'll cleed thee in the tartan sae fine,

And mak thee a man like thy daddie dear.’

Notes

Title Bonie Dundee: Lovely Dundee

Burns improved on a traditional song. The first stanza was updated by Burns. The second stanza was Burns' creation. This poem was first printed on 22nd May, 1787.

Stanza 1

Line 1 O, whar got ye that hauver-meal bannock?: Oh, where did you get that oatmeal thin cake?

Line 2 dinna ye: do you not

Line 3 gat: got; frae: from; brisk sodger laddie: lively young man soldier

Line 4 Saint Johnston: Perth

Stanza 2

Line 1 O, gin I saw: O, if I saw, meaning “how I wish to see…”; gae me't: gave it to me

Line 2 Aft: often; doudl'e: dandled

Line 4 hame: home; babie: baby

Stanza 3

Line 1 blessin's: blessings; thy: your; wee: little; lippie: lip

Line 2 e'e-brie: eyebrow

Line 3 sae: so; blythe: blithe

Line 4 Thou's ay: you are always

Stanza 4

Line 1 I'll Big a bow'r: I will build a bower (a summer shed); yon: yonder, over there

Line 2 Tay: River Tay, a river in the middle of Scotland, UK; rins: runs; wimplin: winding

Line 3 cleed: clad

Line 4 mak: make; daddie: daddy