Wi' Ma' Rovin' Eye- Ossian (Edin) 1976 REC
[School of Scottish Studies. Listen live recordings: http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/80609/2
Also 1977 album Ossian" Recorded & Mixed at Pan-Audio Studios, Edinburgh over seven days between 19 February and 1 June 1977. Text from studio recording in 1977. Their notes follow.
R. Matteson 2018]
‘OSSIAN’, named after the legendary 3rd century Celtic bard and folk hero, was formed in 1976, and this was their first, ground-breaking album of Scottish/Celtic music. The band went on to record a series of albums on their own ‘Iona’ label.
3. MA ROVIN EYE
Billy Ross – lead vocal & guitar; Billy Jackson – whistle & vocal; George Jackson – mandolin & vocal; John Martin – fiddle.
In one form or another this song is still widely popular – in Ireland as As I Roved Out, in England as Seventeen Come Sunday. This version is from the North East of Scotland.
1: As I gaed o’er yon Hieland hill,
I met a bonny lassie;
And she gied me a wink wi the tail o her ee,
And faith but she was saucy.
Chorus: Wi ma rovin eye,
Fol di doodle die,
Wi ma rovin fol di derry,
Wi ma rovin eye.
2: “Where are ye gaun my bonnie lass?
Where are ye gaun my honey?
Where are ye gaun my bonnie lass?”
“For baccy for my grannie.”
3: “Oh what is your name my bonnie lass?
What is your name my honey?
What is your name my bonnie lass.”
“Oh they cry me bonnie Annie.”
4: “And how old are you my bonnie lass?
How old are you my honey?
How old are you my bonnie lass?”
“I’ll be sixteen come Sunday.”
5: “Whaur dae ye sleep my bonnie lass?
Whaur dae ye sleep my honey?
Whaur dae ye sleep my bonnie lass?”
“In a wee bed next my mammy.”
6: “Oh gin I were tae come tae your hoose then,
When the moon is shining clearly;
Would you arise and let me in,
So yer mother wouldn’t hear me?”
7: Oh when I went doun tae the lassie’s door,
I found that she was wakened,
Oh but lang, lang e’er the mornin come,
Her mother heard us talkin.
8: She ran tae the grate tae poke up the coals,
Tae see gin she could ken me;
But I kicked the auldwife intae the fire,
And bid my heels defend me.
9: “Oh it’s soldier, soldier marry me noo,
It’s either noo or never;
Oh soldier, soldier marry me noo,
For I am done forever.”
10: “Come o’er the burn my bonnie lass,
Blink o’er the burn my honey;
For you are a sweet and a kindly lass,
For all your cankered mammy.”