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The Tarbolton Lasses

[ Roud - ; Robert Burns]

Katherine Campbell sang If Ye Gae Up to Yon Hill-Tap on her 2019 CD Robert Burns: Tune Unknown.

Barbara Dymock of Fife sang Gie Me a Lass Wi a Lump o Land and The Tarbolton Lasses in 2019 on Malinky’s 20^th anniversary album Handsel. They noted:

Gi’e Me a Lass wi’ a Lump o’ Land was published by Allan Ramsay in his Tea-Table Miscellany in 1724, described by a later editor as “to supplant old and coarse words to the tune of The Lass wi’ the Lump o’ Land.” It also appears with the original melody in William Thomson’s Orpheus Caledonius of 1725.

The Tarbolton Lasses was written by Robert Burns in 1778. Barbara chose these two 18^th century, tongue-in-cheek, contrasting views of women, despite the fact that, by current standards, they would be considered outdated. She feels strongly about not censoring song choices to fit modern social views.

Ross Kennedy sang The Tarbolton Lassies in 2007 on his Greentrax CD Scottish Voice and Acoustic Guitar. He noted:

This is a poem by Robert Burns which took my fancy. I composed the chorus and tune to pad it out a bit and the end result I think turned out a good song.

Lyrics

Robert Burns’ The Tarbolton Lasses

If ye gae up to yon hill-tap,
Ye’ll there see bonie Peggy:
She kens her father is a laird,
And she forsooth’s a leddy.

There’s Sophy tight, a lassie bright,
Besides a handsome fortune:
Wha canna win her in a night
Has little art in courtin.

Gae down by Faile, and taste the ale,
And tak a look o’ Mysie;
She’s dour and din, a deil within,
But aiblins she may please ye.

If she be shy, her sister try,
Ye’ll may be fancy Jenny:
If ye’ll dispense wi’ want o’ sense
She kens hersel she’s bonnie.

As ye gae up by yon hillside,
Spier in for bonnie Bessy:
She’ll gie ye a beck, and bid ye light,
And handsomely address ye.

There’s few sae bonny, nane sae guid,
In a’ King George’ dominion;
If ye should doubt the truth o’ this
It’s Bessy’s ain opinion.

Ross Kennedy sings The Tarbolton Lassies

If ye gae up tae yon hill tap
Ye’ll there see bonnie Peggy,
She ken’s her father is a laird
And she forsooth’s a lady.

There’s Sophy tight, a lassie bright,
Besides a handsome fortune;
Wha canna win her in the night
Has little art in courtin.

Chorus (after every other verse):
For the lassies o Tarbolton
They are aw braw and ready;
If ye buy them a drink they’l tip ye the wink
And dance the hale night steady.

Gae doon by Faile, and taste the ale,
And tak a look at Mysie,
She’s dour and din, a Deil within,
But aiblins she mon please ye.

If she be shy, her sister try,
Ye’ll maybe fancy Jenny,
If ye’ll dispense wi’ want o’ sense
She ken’s herself she’s bonnie.

If ye gae uptae yon hillside
Speir infor bonnie Bessy,
She’ll gie ye a beck and bid ye light,
And handsomley address ye.

There’s few sae bonnie, nane sae guid,
In a’ King George’s dominion;
If ye should doubt the truth o’ this
It’s Bessy’s ain opinion.