Annotation:Dinna think bonnie Lassie I'm game to have ye

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X:1 % T:Dinna think bonnie Lassie I'm gaun to leave you M:2/4 L:1/8 R:Air Q:"Brisk" B:Johnson - Scots Musical Museum, vol. 6 (1803, Song 556) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D A/|D<d {de}f>e|e>d d>B|A2 A>G|F2D2| e<e (e>d)|e>f e>f|(g>f) e>d|{c}B2A2| d<d {de}f>e|e>d d>B|A2 A>G|F2 D>F| G>A G>A|F>G F>G|E<E F>A|{c}B2 A2|| M:C L:1/8 "Slow"D>E D>F A>B (cA)|B>A d>F F2 E>D|E>e e>f e>d (e>f)| g>f e>d {c}B2A2|d>e f>e e>d (d<B)|A>B d>F F2 E>D| G>A G>A F>G F>G|E<E F>A B2 A||

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DINNA THINK BONNIE LASSIE I'M GAME TO HAVE YE. AKA - O, dinna think, bonnie lassie, I'm gaun to leave you." Scottish, Air (cut time). The lyric is by Hector MacNeil, and the song first printed in volume six of Johnson's Scots Musical Museum (1803), with the addition of a last verse penned by John Hamilton, an Edinburgh music-seller. MacNeill apparently took offense to the insert, for he refused to include the song in his collected Poetical Works. It has been alleged the MacNeill saw a poem by Susanna Blamire that opens similarly to his poem, and that he either was inspired by her work to try his own on the theme, or that he appropriated her work and altered it. Cumbrian musician John Rook's folk-processed title ("Dinna think bonnie Lassie I'm game to have ye") changes the meaning of MacNeill's words, and perhaps comes from a satire or variant lyric.

Oh, dinna think, bonnie lassie, I'm gaun to leave thee!
Dinna think, bonnie lassie, I'm gaun to leave thee;
Dinna think, bonnie lassie, I'm gaun to leave thee;
I'll tak a stick into my hand, and come again and see thee.

Far's the gate ye hae to gang; dark's the night, and eerie;
Far's the gate ye hae to gang; dark's the night, and eerie;
Far's the gate ye hae to gang; dark's the night, and eerie;
Oh, stay this night wi' your love, and dinna gang and leave me.

It's but a night and hauf a day that I'll leave my dearie;
But a night and hauf a day that I'll leave my dearie;
But a night and hauf a day that I'll leave my dearie;
Whene'er the sun gaes west the loch, I'll come again and see thee.

Dinna gang, my bonnie lad, dinna gang and leave me;
Dinna gang, my bonnie lad, dinna gang and leave me;
When a' the lave are sound asleep, I'm dull and eerie;
And a' the lee-lang night I 'm sad, wi' thinking on my dearie.

Oh, dinna think, bonnie lassie, I'm gaun to leave thee!
Dinna think, bonnie lassie, I'm gaun to leave thee;
Dinna think, bonnie lassie, I'm gaun to leave thee;
Whene'er the sun gaes out o' sight, I 'll come again and see thee.

Waves are rising o'er the sea; winds blaw loud and fear me;
Waves are rising o'er the sea; winds blaw loud and fear me;
While the winds and waves do roar, I am wae and drearie;
And gin ye lo'e me as ye say, ye winna gang and leave me.

Oh, never mair, bonnie lassie, will I gang and leave thee!
Never mair, bonnie lassie, will I gang and leave thee;
Never mair, bonnie lassie, will I gang and leave thee;
E'en let the world gang as it will, I'll stay at hame and cheer ye.

Frae his hand he coost his stick; "I winna gang and leave thee;"
Threw his plaid into the neuk; "Never can I grieve thee;"
Drew his boots, and flang them by; cried, "My lass, be cheerie;
I'll kiss the tear frae aff thy cheek, and never leave my dearie.

The song, set to a variation of "Carrick's Rant" AKA "Clunie's Reel (1)" (parts reversed), was also set to the variant called "Smith's a Gallant Fireman (The)."