Volume III, song 273, page 282 - 'Oran gaoil - a gallic...
Volume III, song 273, page 282 - 'Oran gaoil - a gallic song translated by a Lady' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)
Verse 1: 'As on an eminence I stood a musing, A heavenly form broke forth on my sight; She darted a look from her two lovely diamonds, Than vanishing left me o'erwhelm'd with delight. O, on my faithful faithful, faithful, on my faithful bosom recline, Those sparkling, black eyes that make conquest of thousands, Insensible he, would not wish to be thine.' The title is in Gaelic and translates as 'Love Song'.
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.
During his researches for 'Early Scottish Melodies' (1900), John Glen discovered this melody in Corri's 'New and Complete Collection of the most favourite Scots Songs', published in 1783. It only had one Gaelic verse to accompany it. Unfortunately other than being a Highland melody, no further information is known regarding this song or tune. As part of the oral tradition, folk songs and tunes were often never written down. Instead they were passed from person to person, down through the generations. Rarely, if ever, were they carefully documented.
Volume III, song 273, page 282 - 'Oran gaoil - a gallic song translated by a Lady' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)