Bess the gawkie (Harriett Abrams)
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- (Posted 2022-12-01) CPDL #71748:
- Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2022-12-01). Score information: A4, 2 pages, 148 kB Copyright: CC BY SA
- Edition notes: Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download.
General Information
Title: Bess the gawkie
Composer: Harriett Abrams
Lyricist: James Muirheadcreate page
Number of voices: 3vv Voicings: SSB or TTB
Genre: Secular, Glee
Language: English
Instruments: A cappella
First published: c.1795 (n/d)
Description: A particularly unconvincing piece of Mummerzet disguised as Lallans.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
Blithe young Bess to Jean did say,
Will ye gang to yon sunny brae,
Where flocks do feed and herds do stray,
And sport awhile wi' Jamie?
Ah na, lass! I'll no gang there,
Nor about Jamie tak' a care,
For he's taken up wi' Maggie.
For hark, and I will tell you lass:
Did I not see young Jamie pass
Wi' meickle gladness on his face
Out o'er the muir to Maggie?
I wot he gave her mony a kiss,
And Maggie took them ne'er amiss,
I ween ilka smack pleas'd her with this:
That Bess was but a gawkie.
Then lasses fast frae him they flew
And left poor Jamie fair to rue
That ever Maggie's face he knew,
Or yet ca'd Bess a gawkie.
As they went o'er the muir they sang;
The hills and dales wi' echoes rang,
Gang o'er the muir to Maggie.