by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
By Oughtertyre grows the aik
Language: Scottish (Scots)
By Oughtertyre grows the aik, On Yarrow banks the birken shaw; But Phemie was a bonier lass Than braes o' Yarrow ever saw. Blythe, blythe and merry was she, Blythe was she but and ben; Blythe by the banks of Earn, And blythe in Glenturit glen. Her looks were like a flow'r in May, Her smile was like a simmer morn: She tripped by the banks o' Earn, As light's a bird upon a thorn. Blythe, blythe, &c. Her bonie face it was as meek As ony lamb upon a lea; The evening sun was ne'er sae sweet, As was the blink o' Phemie's e'e. Blythe, blythe, &c. The Highland hills I've wander'd wide, And o'er the Lawlands I hae been; But Phemie was the blythest lass That ever trod the dewy green. Blythe, blythe, &c.
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Text Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Song -- Blythe was she" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Cyril Meir Scott (1879 - 1970), "Blythe and merry was she", published 1922 [ voice and piano ], London: Elkin [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Tak sličná byla"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-05-02
Line count: 23
Word count: 136