Annotation:Riggs o' Barley
X:1 % T:Riggs o' Barley M:C L:1/8 R: S:John Rook music manuscript collection (Waverton, Cumbria, 1840, p. 202) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D F/G/|A>B B/A/G/F/ AB/c/ e/d/c/B/|AB/c/ d>F E2 EF/G/| A>B B/A/G/F/ AB/c/ e/d/c/B/|AF A/G/F/E/ D2 D|| f/g/|adfa d>e g/f/e/d/|g>a b/a/g/f/ e2 e(a/g/)| f>ae>f d/c/d/e/ B>d|AF A/G/F/E/ D2 D||
RIGGS O' BARLEY. AKA and see "Corn Riggs are Bonnie." Scottish, Air (whole time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. The title is that given by poet Robert Burns to his 1783 poem "Riggs o' Barley," a reworking of the older song "Corn riggs are bonnie. The original words were somewhat less genteel than those which Burns eventually produced. His poem goes:
It was upon a Lammas night
When the corn rigs were bonnie,
Beneath the moon's unclouded light
I held awa' to Annie.
The time flew by wi' tentless heed
'Til 'tween the late and early,
Wi' small persuasion she agreed
To see me thro' the barley.
CHORUS:
Corn Rigs and barley rigs
Corn rigs are bonny
I'll ne'eer forget that Lammas night
Amang the rigs wi' Annie.