Volume IV, song 301, page 311 - 'Craigie-burn Wood' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'Sweet closes the evening on Craigie-burn wood, And blythely awaukens the morrow; But the pride of the spring in the Craigieburn-wood, Can yield me nothing but sorrow. Beyond thee dearie beyond thee, dearie, And O! to be lying beyond thee, O sweetly, soundly weel may he sleep, That's laid in the bed beyond thee.' 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. Burns wrote notes on a number of the songs in an interleaved copy of the 'Museum' belonging to his friend, Robert Riddell of Glenriddell. For 'Craigie-burn Wood' he wrote, 'The song was composed on a passion which a Mr Gillespie, a particular friend of mine, had for a Miss Lorimer, afterwards a Mrs Whelpdale. The young lady was born at Craigie-burn wood. The chorus is part of an old foolish ballad.' As to the melody, John Glen (1900) considered it 'a beautiful tune' and accepted that it was written down from 'the singing of a country girl'.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503497

Title

Volume IV, song 301, page 311 - 'Craigie-burn Wood' - 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