Annotation:Bonnie Lass o' Ballochmyle (The)

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BONNIE LASS O' BALLOCHMYLE, THE. Scottish, Air (4/4 time). F Major. Standard tuning. One part. The music, a modern air, is by William Jackson, with lyrics by Robert Burns, although he originally set them to the tune "Johnny's Grey Breeks (1)." Burns wrote his words while on a stroll one evening along the banks of the Ayr river. The braes of Ballochmyle run along the right or north side of the water, about two miles from Burns' farm of Mossgiel. According to Neil (1991) they "form the most distinctive part of the estate of Ballochmyle, owned by Claude Alexander." The 'bonnie lass' was Claude's sister, Wilhelmina Alexander, to whom Burns sent a copy of the verses in 1786, asking her leave to publish them. She did not deign to reply at the time, but later, after the poet had become famous, she had both the song and the letter accompanying it framed and hung in the hall of her home.

Fair is the morn in flowery May
And sweet is night in autumn mild,
When roving through the garden gay
Or wandering in the lonely wild.
But woman, nature's darling child!
There all her charms she does compile,
Ev'n there her other works are foil'd
By the bonnie lass o' Ballochmyle.

See also note for "Annotation:Braes of Ballochmyle (The) for more.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 184, p. 239.

Recorded sources:

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