Annotation:Steer her up and had her gan
X:1 T:Steer her up and had her gan M:C| L:1/8 R:Scots Measure B:McGlashan – Collection of Scots Measures (178?) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:D af|d2d2f3e|defg a2AG|F2A2A2GF|E2E2 c3e| d2d2f3e|defg a2ga|bagf e2dc|d4D2 :| |: fe|d2A2F3A| dAGA GFED| E2 =c4 E=F| G=FED C2fe| d2A2F3E|DEFG Aagf| efgf ecAc| d4D2 :|
STEER HER UP AND HAD HER GAN. AKA - "Stir her up and hold her ganging." AKA and see "Stolen Kiss (The)." Scottish, Scots Measure (cut time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Charles Gore gives one explanation for the title "Steer her up and had her gan" as having nautical connection, broadly translating as: "Bring her (the boat) up (to wind) and let (hold) her go(ing)." The tune and title are old and both appear in early manuscript collections: the Skene Manuscript (c. 1615-20), the Guthrie Manuscript (c. 1670-1680, p. 299), the Gairdyn Manuscript (1700-1735), and David Young's MacFarlane Manuscript (1740, p. 266). It was printed in London in Henry Playford's collections of the late seventeenth century and in particular in his collection of Scottish dance tunes of 1700.
The melody was also employed as the vehicle for songs. Cellist-composer wikipedia:James_Oswald (1710-1769) used the tune for his "Stolen Kiss (The)", song No. 2 in his twelve-song collection "Colin's Kisses" (1742), all set to verses by Robert Dodsley. Each song was named after a type of kiss - "The Meeting Kiss," "The Stolen Kiss," The Parting Kiss," etc. Shortly after Oswald first published this collection it was criticized by some as scandalous, requiring him to address the issue in later advertisements where he wrote: "The Report so industriously spread, that these songs are not proper for the Ladies to sing, is as false as it is scandalous; there being nothing in the Words of Sentiments that can offend the most delicate". Dodsley words for "The Stolen Kiss" begin:
On a mossy bank reclin'd.
Beauteous Chloe lay reposing,
O’er her breast each am'rous wind
Wanton play'd, its sweets disclosing:
Tempted with the dwelling charms,
Colin, happy swain, drew nigh her,
Softly stole into her arms,
Laid his scrip and sheep-hook by her.
Oswald protestations may have been undermined by the melody he used (an adaptation of "Steer her up and had her gan") had been attached to an original song that may have had bawdy lyrics. A version was printed by Alan Ramsay in Tea Table Miscellany (1725, p. 95, copied by Herd into Scots Songs, 1769, p. 181). Ramsay's lyric is curious, and the supposed bawdiness that might have been in the original song has seemingly been tamed to a maudlin ode to drink (and forgetfulness).
Steer her up, and had her gawn,
Her mither's at the mill, jo;
But gin she winna tak a man,
E'en let her tak her will, jo.
Pray thee, lad, leave silly thinking,
Cast thy cares of love away;
Let's our sorrows drown in drinking,
'Tis daffin langer to delay.
See that shining glass of claret,
How invitingly it looks;
Take it aff, and let's hae mair o't,
Pox on righting, trade, and books.
Let's have pleasure while we're able,
Bring us in the meikle bowl,
Plac't on the middle of the table,
And let wind and weather gowl.
Call the drawer, let him fill it,
Fou, as ever it can hold:
O tak tent ye dinna spill it,
'Tis mair precious far than gold.
By you've drunk a dozen bumpers,
Bacchus will begin to prove,
Spite of Venus and her mumpers,
Drinking better is than love.
Ramsay's work was further adapted (sanitized) by Robert Burns for Johnson's Scots Musical Museum as Song 504, "O, Steer Her Up, and Haud Her Gaun."
