Volume I, song 069, pages 70 and 71 - 'The Broom of Cowdenknows' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'How blyth was I each morn to see My swain come o'er the hill! He leap'd the burn, and flew to me, I met him with good will. O the broom, the bonny, bonny broom, The broom of the Cowdenknows! I wish I were wi' my dear swain, Wi' his pipe and my ewes.' 'Swain' is an old word for a suitor or admirer. 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 is some debate over the origin of the lyrics of this piece. It has been claimed that they are of English origin and is better known by the name, 'The lovely northern lass' but Burns in his notes commented that it was written by Mr Crawford. This refers to Crawford of Achnames who was drowned whilst travelling to France.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503264

Title

Volume I, song 069, pages 70 and 71 - 'The Broom of Cowdenknows' - 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

- 130 x 211 mm