020 Bonie Dundee
Tune: Adew Dundee
1．
‘O, whar gat ye that hauver-meal bannock?’
‘O Silly blind body, O dinna ye see?
I gat it frae a young brisk sodger laddie
Between Saint Johnston and bonie Dundee.’
2．
‘O, gin I saw the laddie that gae me't!
Aft has he doudl'd me upon his knee;
May Heaven protect my bonie Scots laddie,
And send him hame to his babie and me!
3．
‘My blessin's upon thy sweet, wee lippie!
My blessin's upon thy bonie e'e-brie!
Thy smiles are sae like my blythe sodger laddie,
Thou's ay the dearer and dearer to me!
4．
But I'll big a bow'r on yon bonie banks,
Whare Tay rins wimplin by sae clear;
And I'll cleed thee in the tartan sae fine,
And mak thee a man like thy daddie dear.’
Notes
Title Bonie Dundee: Lovely Dundee
Burns improved on a traditional song. The first stanza was updated by Burns. The second stanza was Burns' creation. This poem was first printed on 22nd May, 1787.
Stanza 1
Line 1 O, whar got ye that hauver-meal bannock?: Oh, where did you get that oatmeal thin cake?
Line 2 dinna ye: do you not
Line 3 gat: got; frae: from; brisk sodger laddie: lively young man soldier
Line 4 Saint Johnston: Perth
Stanza 2
Line 1 O, gin I saw: O, if I saw, meaning “how I wish to see…”; gae me't: gave it to me
Line 2 Aft: often; doudl'e: dandled
Line 4 hame: home; babie: baby
Stanza 3
Line 1 blessin's: blessings; thy: your; wee: little; lippie: lip
Line 2 e'e-brie: eyebrow
Line 3 sae: so; blythe: blithe
Line 4 Thou's ay: you are always
Stanza 4
Line 1 I'll Big a bow'r: I will build a bower (a summer shed); yon: yonder, over there
Line 2 Tay: River Tay, a river in the middle of Scotland, UK; rins: runs; wimplin: winding
Line 3 cleed: clad
Line 4 mak: make; daddie: daddy