The Scottish songs - National Library of Scotland

521
; ; !
He straught gaed to Dunblane again,
And back his left did draw, Willie
And we to Auchterarder gaed,
To wait a better fa', Willie.
Up and waur, &c.
Now if ye spier wha wan the day,
I've telled ye what I saw, Willie
We baith did fight, and baith did beat,
And baith did rin awa, Willie.
So there's my canty Highland sang
About the thing I saw, Willie.
Up and waur them a', Willie,
Up and waur them a', Willie.*
WANDERING WILLIE.
QOLD VERSES.n
Tune— Wandering Willis.
Here awa, there awa, wandering Willie
Here awa, there awa, baud awa hame I
Lang have I sought thee, dear have I bought thee ;
Now I have gotten my Willie again.
* A version of this song, apparently from some stall copy, is in Herd's
Collection. But, in forming the present edition, recourse has been had for
better readings to two other copies, one of which is printed in the second
volume of Johnson's Musical Museum, and the other in Cromek's Select
Songs ; the latter being a version which Burns wrote down from the singing
of an eccentric character of the name of Tam Neil, who was precentor in
the High Church, Edinburgh, while Dr Blair was minister, and who had an
exquisite knack at singing old Scottish songs with appropriate expression.t
t Tam was a sort of humourist on his own bottom, besides. Dr Blair
having been In the country one Sunday, happened to meet his precentor
next morning on the street, as he was proceeding homewards. " Well,
Tom," said the minister, " how did they come on in the church yesterday ?"
— •' Deed, I beheve, no very weel," answered Tam ; ' I was na there, doctor,
ony mair than yoursell."
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