Swan Swims- Jessie MacDonald (Aber) 1968 REC
[My title, obviously Binnorie is wrong. From Collection, School of Scottish Studies. Original Tape ID - SA1967.141. Poorly remembered version (she was 83) difficult to hear and transcribe with an unusual form. See also Keith, "Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads" pp. 9-13 (version g) music only.
R. Matteson 2018]
Swan Swims so Bonny (Binnorie) - Jessie MacDonald b. 1885 from Braemar, Aberdeenshire; recorded by Peter Hall in January, 1968. Listen: http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/play/99162;jsessionid=F7A0B7547EB7C70D799F942AF37FBF5C
1. O sister dear sister let's go for a walk
Swanny swims so bonny, O
---- sister---
Till the swanny swims so bonny, O
2. O sister, dear sister give me a hand
And I'll make you the you pairt of all my land
O sister, O sister please give me a hand
And I'll be the lady o your land
3. O sister, dear sister give me your glove
And I'll mak you the lady o my true love,
I'll mak you the lady o my true love,
And the swan swims so bonny, O.
[O sister, dear sister you may get your glove[1]
And I'll be the lady o your true love,
I'll be the lady o your true love,
And the swan swims so bonny, O.
------and away she did fly,
She couldn't stand the middle cause the [ ] was too wide
She couldn't stand the middle cause the [ ] was too wide
And the swan swims so bonny, O.]
4. O the miller's lassie went to the dam,
For to get some water for to make some bread,
She comin' runnin' crying, "Miller O miller come stop up yer dam,
For I see a lady or a milk-white swan."
5. O they pulled her out and they hung her up to dry,
And he made a fiddle o' her hair colored gold,
He made a fiddle o' her hair colored gold,
And the Swan swims so bonny, O.
6. And they made the fiddle strings o her bonny yellow hair,
They made the fiddle string o her bonny yellow hair,
They made the fiddle string o her bonny yellow hair,
Till the swan swims so bonny, O.
7. O father said could you play us a tune,
He sat doon--
---
--
8. O there is my old false sister Jean,
And she pushed me into the little steam
She gave me a push into the little stream,
Till the Swan swims so bonny, O.
1. when the singer reached the end she sang the middle part again-- these two verses between 3 and 4 were different.