{"id":20635,"date":"2023-05-15T09:19:30","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T09:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=20635"},"modified":"2023-05-15T09:19:32","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T09:19:32","slug":"back-back-to-where-the-heather-grows","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/back-back-to-where-the-heather-grows\/","title":{"rendered":"Back back to where the heather grows"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>Bella MacGraw<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1918<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Harry Lauder<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN32489<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Harry Lauder<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Robertson, Jeannie; Scotland : Aberdeen; 1962<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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It is very near five years ago since I sailed for Canada.\r\nI was very sorry when I sailed away\r\nBecause I had to leave behind me bonnie Bella McGraw,\r\nFor I loved her more than ever I could say;\r\nBut I've been savin', savin' just a wee bit ev'ry week,\r\nSavin', savin' for the rainy day;\r\nSo after counting up my savin's I'd been savin' up,\r\nI wrote her hame a letter just to say:\r\n\r\nOh! Bella McGraw, tho' you're miles and miles awa,\r\nHow I love ye ev'rybody knows.\r\nI know that you are true,\r\nSo I'm comin' back to you,\r\nBack, back, to where the heather grows.<\/em>\r\n\r\nIt is just about a month ago since I counted up my brass,\r\nThen I booked my passage hame frae Canada.\r\nI couldna close my eyes at nicht thro' thinking on my lass,\r\nBut at last I'm hame beside my Bella McGraw;\r\nBut I think I'll wait till twelve o'clock afore I let her ken.\r\nBy that time she'll be sleepin', sure to be;\r\nThen I'll creep up to the window o' her mither's but-an'-ben,\r\nAnd sing the song I sent her o'er the sea:\r\n\r\nI know I'll no be long at hame afore I tie the knot,\r\nBecause I know she's longing to be mine.\r\nAltho' I've been five years away, I know she'll not forget me.\r\nMan! I really do believe that she's divine.\r\nI'm sure I couldn't find another like her if I tried,\r\nWere I to search the worl' thro' and thro'.\r\nI have only one regret this nicht and it is this:\r\nI'm very sorry she's no' here the noo.<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Another song written, composed and sung by the prominent Scots comedian Harry Lauder<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was later collected from the singing of Jeannie Robertson, an extremely important traditional singer from the Scottish traveller community.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Harry sings it in 1917, from archive.com<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n