Volume III, song 267, page 276 - 'I loe na a Laddie but ane' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'I loe nae a laddie but ane, He loes na a lassie but me; He's willin' to make me his ain, An' his ain I am willin' to be. He cost me a rokley o' blue, A pair o' mittens o' green An' his price was a kiss o' my mou; An' I paid him the debt yestreen.' A 'rockley' is a short cloak or cape. Another song sung to the same tune has also been given. It begins, 'Let ithers brag weel o' their gear'. The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition. There appears to have been much conjecture over the origins of this particular melody, with some claiming English or Irish origin rather than Scottish. Chappell believed the tune to be English, with its first appearance in volume eight of 'Vocal Music, or, The Songster's Companion' (1775). This is in contrast to others who believed it to be an Irish tune, originally entitled 'My lodging is on the cold ground'. John Glen, following his research for 'Early Scottish Melodies' (1900), concluded that there was little evidence to support any of these claims. However, he did state that 'the words of the Scottish song were first published in 1779' and that 'as a lively tune, the Scottish one excels'.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503463

Title

Volume III, song 267, page 276 - 'I loe na a Laddie but ane' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Object Type

PhysicalObject

Measurements

- 132 x 211 mm