I love a lassie
AKA | Ma Scotch Bluebell |
First Published | 1906 |
Writer/composer | Harry Lauder and Gerald Grafton | Roud | RN37170 |
Music Hall Performers | Harry Lauder |
Folk performances | Collected from the singing of: Nurse, Ron; England : Shropshire; 1995 Modern performances |
I love a lassie, a bonnie Hielan' lassie, If you saw her you would fancy her as well: I met her in September, popped the question in November, So I'll soon be havin' her a' to ma-sel'. Her faither has consented, so I'm feelin' quite contented, 'Cause I've been and sealed the bargain wi' a kiss. I sit and weary weary, when I think aboot ma deary, An' you'll always hear me singing this... I love a lassie, a bonnie bonnie lassie, She's as pure as a lily in the dell, She's sweet as the heather, the bonnie bloomin' heather, Mary, my Scots bluebell. I love a lassie, a bonnie Hielan' lassie, She can warble like like a blackbird in the dell. She's an angel ev'ry Sunday, but a jolly lass on Monday: She's as modest as her namesake the bluebell. She's nice, she's neat, she's tidy and I meet her ev'ry Friday: That's a special nicht, you bet, I never miss. I'm enchanted, I'm enraptured, since ma heart the darlin'captur'd, She's intoxicated me with bliss... I love a lassie, a bonnie Hielan' lassie, I could sit an' let her tease me for a week: For the way she keeps behavin' well, I never pay for shavin', 'Cause she rubs ma whiskers clean off with her cheek. And underneath ma bonnet, where the hair was, there's none on it, For the way she pats ma head has made me bald. I know she means no harm, for she'll keep me nice and warm, On the frosty nichts sae very cauld...
One of Harry Lauder‘s best remembered songs, sung for the first time in pantomime at Christmas 1905 at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow. It has formed the basis of a number of parodies.
Harry sings it:
Sources:
- Entries in the Roud Indexes at the Vaughn Williams Memorial Library: https://archives.vwml.org/search/all:single[folksong-broadside-books]/0_50/all/score_desc/extended-roudNo_tr%3A37170
- Kilgarrif Sing Us
- Lyrics and Sheet Music: 60 Old-Time Variety Songs (EMI)
- Sheet music cover: Ed and Cathy Ward Collection, Irish Sheet Music Archive
- Baker: British Music Hall