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The Bonnie Wee Lassie’s Answer

[ Roud 3326 ; G/D 1:98 ; Ballad Index FVS070 ; trad.]

Sheila Douglas: The Sang’s the Thing John Ord: Bothy Songs and Ballads

Donald MacMartin of Coldingham, Berwickshire, sang Fareweel tae Glasgow Green to Hamish Henderson in 1965. This recording was inluded in 2006 on the Kyloe anthology of songs and ballads from the School of Scottish Studies Archives, Hamish Henderson Collects Volume 2.

Mirk sang Bonnie Wee Lassie’s Answer in 1982 on their Springthyme album Tak a Dram Afore Ye Go. They noted:

Twelve different versions of this song are in the Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection recorded from North-East singers early this century, and the song is still widely known. The words have been set to a new tune by Ian [Sinclair].

Dougie Mackenzie sang The Bonnie Wee Lassie’s Answer in 2019 on his Greentrax album with Brian Miller, Along the Way.

Lyrics

Mirk sing Bonnie Wee Lassie’s Answer

Fareweel tae Glasgow city, and fareweel tae Lanrickshire,
And fare ye weel ma parents dear. I’ll never see ye mair;
For I am bound tae go ma love, where no one shall me know;
But the bonnie wee lassie’s answer ’twas aye, “No, no”.

Chorus (after each verse):
Aye, “No, no, my love,” aye, “No, no”,
And the bonnie wee lassie’s answer ’twas aye, “No, no”.

Oh it’s for the want o pocket money, and for the want o cash,
Maks mony a bonnie laddie tae leave his bonnie lass;
So I am bound tae go ma love, where no one shall me know;
But the bonnie wee lassie’s answer ’twas aye, “No, no”.

Oh the King is wanting men, they say, and I for one must go,
And its for ma very life ma dear, I dare not answer no;
So I am bound tae go ma love, where no one shall me know;
But the bonnie wee lassie’s answer ’twas aye, “No, no”.

“Oh stay at hame ma bonnie lad, and dinna gang afar,
For little, little dae ye ken the dangers o the war.”
Oh I am bound tae go ma love, where no one shall me know;
But the bonnie wee lassie’s answer ’twas aye, “No, no”.

“Oh it’s I’ll cut aff ma yellow hair, and gang alang wi thee,
I’ll be yer faithful comrade in some far country;
Now I am bound tae go love, where no one shall me know.”
And the bonnie wee lassie’s answer ’twas aye, “No, no”.

Oh stay at hame ma bonnie lass, and dinna come wi me,
For little, little dae ye ken the dangers o the sea;
And I am bound tae go lass, where no one shall me know;
But the bonnie wee lassie’s answer ’twas aye, “No, no”.

Oh the fervent love I bear for you is constant, true and kind,
Ye’re always present tae ma view, and never fae ma mind;
But I am bound tae go love, where no one shall me know;
But the bonnie wee lassie’s answer ’twas aye, “No, no”.

Fareweel tae Cathkin’s sunny braes where oft times I hae been,
Fareweel untae the banks o Clyde, and bonnie Glasgow Green;
For I am bound tae go ma love, where no one shall me know;
But the bonnie wee lassie’s answer ’twas aye, “No, no”.

Fareweel tae you ma comrades dear, I’ll own ma hert is sair,
Fareweel for aye ma bonnie Jean, I’ll never see ye mair;
For I am bound tae go ma love, where no one shall me know;
But the bonnie wee lassie’s answer ’twas aye, “No, no”.