The Trees Are High- Duncan Williamson (Scot) 1942
[From: the recording "Travellers Tales“ (Kyloe: Vol. 2, Track 2 ) recorded by Mike Yates, 2001-2002, transcribed by Steve Gardham. This song has been covered by Ray Fisher's Traditional Songs of Scotland (Saydisc CD-SDL 391), 1991- bottom of page. Also recorded by Linda Williams in 1974, additional notes by Malcolm Douglas.
Duncan James Williamson, a Scottish Traveller storyteller and singer was born 11 April 1928, Loch Fyneside, near Furnace, Argyll and died 8 November 2007. He was one of sixteen children. His version is a hybrid version using "The Trees" opening framed around the Scottish ballad,
In "My Laddie's Bedside" a young woman wants to visit her boy friend's bedside and tell him how much she loves him. He says not to bother, he's interested in somebody else. She accepts the situation, asking only that he treat her kindly.
The song is number 5530 in the Roud Folk Song Index. Other versions are in John Ord, Bothy Songs and Ballads (1930, reprinted John Donald, Edinburgh 1995, p.179); Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs (1881, II, 230-231); Shuldham-Shaw and Lyle, The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection (vol.6 148-150), MacColl and Seeger, Till Doomsday in the Afternoon (1986 233) and Sheila Douglas, Come Gie's a Sang (1995, 40-41). This last is from Heather Heywood, who recorded it on her LP (now CD) Some Kind of Love (Greentrax Records); she learned it from Alison Potts [Douglas].
R. Matteson 2016]
The Trees Are High- sung by Duncan Williamson, recorded by Mike Yates in 2001-2002. Duncan first heard this song from his father's sister, at Tarbert, Argyll, about 1942. Transcription Steve Gardham.
Oh, the trees they are high, my love, the leaves they are green,
The years are passing by, my love, that you and I have seen,
But these long winter nights when you have to lie your lane
You will weary long before I come to see you again.
Oh, it’s I am awa to my laddie’s bedside,
I am awa for to be my laddie’s guide,
I am awa to my laddie’s bedside,
Tho’ his faither and mother be angry-o.
He said, ‘At my bedside, my lassie, you’ll no sit.
At my bedside, my lassie, you’ll no sit,
For I have choosed a guide and a far better fit.
Be awaw(aware), lassie whaw cares for ye-o.
Well, you might have courted one, my love, you might have courted seven,
You might have courted eight, nine, ten and eleven,
You could court another one to make up the dozen,
But be kind to your ain lass for all that-o.
Oh, come back, ma bonnie lassie, dinnae gang awa,
Come back, ma bonnie lassie, dinnae gang awa,
Come back, ma bonnie lassie, dinnae gang awa,
I was only in a jest for to try ye-o.
Well, if you were in a jest, my laddie, I was in nane,
Oh, lang lang, my bonnie laddie, may you lie alane,
Oh, lang lang, my bonnie laddie, may you lie alane,
And you’ll weary lang before I come to see you again.
For the trees they are high, my love, the leaves they are green,
The years are passing by, my love, that you and I have seen,
But those long winter nights when you have to lie your lane,
You will weary long before I come to see you again.
_____________________________
MY LADDIE'S BEDSIDE or THE TREES THEY ARE HIGH as sung by Duncan Williamson, Lochgilphead, 1976. Recorded by Linda Williamson [posted Malcolm Douglas, his notes follow]
Oh it's I am awa' tae ma laddie's bedside,
I am awa' tae be ma laddie's guide;
I am awa' tae ma laddie's bedside
Though his faither and mither be angry.
Oh at my bedside ma lassie you'll no sit,
At my bedside ma lassie you'll no sit,
For I hae choosed a guide an' a far better fit,
Be awa' lassie, wha cares for ye?
Oh ye might have coorted one my love, ye might have coorted seven,
You might have coorted eight, nine, ten or eleven;
You could coort another one for tae mak' up the dozen,
But be kind tae yer ain lass for a' that.
Oh come back ma bonny lassie, dinnae gang awa',
Oh come back ma bonny lassie, dinnae gang awa',
Oh come back ma bonny lassie, dinnae gang awa'
I was only in the jest for tae try ye-O.
Oh if you were in the jest ma laddie, I was in nane,
Oh lang bonny laddie may ye lie yer lane,
Oh lang bonny laddie may ye lie yer lane
And you'll weary lang before I come tae see ye again.
Oh the trees they are high ma love, the leaves they are green,
The years are passing by ma love that you and I have seen;
But the lang winter's nicht when ye have tae lie yer lane
An' you'll weary lang before I come tae see ye again.
From Ailie Munro, The Folk Music Revival in Scotland, Norwood Editions, 1985, 110-111.
Note that this set is not in the public domain. Duncan Williamson is a Traveller, married to an American folklorist. He first heard this song from his father's sister, at Tarbert, Argyll, about 1942. Ailie Munro adds:
"He often sings the last verse three times: as the opening verse, then again after verse 3 (at this point it will often end, 'Be awa' laddie, wha cares for ye?'), and once more at the close. In verse 2, line 3, 'a far better fit' means 'more suitable'. 'He had chosen someone he thought was far superior to his own girl-friend in his mind,' says Duncan. 'But in case he was making a mistake and choosing the wrong one, he told his girl-friend it was only a joke - to keep her from falling out with him. So if he made a mistake he had always his own girl to fall back on'.
A revised and expanded edition of Ailie Munro's book is available as The Democratic Muse: Folk Music Revival in Scotland (Scottish Cultural Press, 1996).
Here is the tune (second verse):
X:1
T:My Laddie's Bedside
S:Duncan Williamson, Lochgilphead, 1976.
Z:Recorded by Linda Williamson.
B:Ailie Munro, The Folk Music Revival in Scotland, Norwood Editions, 1985, 110-111.
N:Tune and words for verse 2.
N:Tempo indication is approximate.
L:1/8
Q:1/4=75
M:4/4
K:F
G3/2A/|B2 A2{G} G3/2G/ F/D3/2|G2 G2 G z z f|
w:Oh at my bed-side ma las-sie you'll no sit, At
f2 g2 d3/2d/ {d}f3/2d/|(c3/2A/) (Bc) d z z/ f/|f3/2f/ g3/2g/ d2 c/B3/2|
w:my bed-side ma las-sie you'll_ no_ sit, For I hae choosed a guide an' a
(cd) d3/2F/ F z F3/2F/|G2 B/c3/2 (d/c3/2) (B/A3/2)|G4 G2|]
w:far_ bet-ter fit, Be a-wa' las-sie, wha_ cares_ for ye?
---------------
MY LADDIE'S BEDSIDE From notes to Ray Fisher's Traditional Songs of Scotland (Saydisc CD-SDL 391), 1991.
O it's I am awa' tae my laddie's bedside
I am awa' for tae be my laddie's guide
I am awa' tae my laddie's bedside,
Though his faither and mither be angry
O, at my bedisde, my lassie, ye'll no sit
At my bedisde, my lassie, ye'll no sit
For I hae choos'd a guide, and a far better fit,
So begone, lassie, wha' cares for ye?
Well ye might have courted one, my love, ye might have courted seven.
Ye might have courted eight, nine, ten and eleven.
Ye can go and court anither, that'll mak' up the dozen,
But be kind tae yer auld love for a' that.
O come back, my bonnie lassie, dinna gang awa' (x 3)
I was only in a jest for tae try ye.
Well if you were in jest, my laddie, I wis in nane.
So lang, lang, my bonnie laddie, may ye lie yer lane
O lang, lang, my bonnie laddie, may ye lie yer lane
And think upon the bonnie lass that lo'ed ye.
For the trees they are high, my love, the leaves they are green.
The years are passing by, my love, that you and I hae seen.
Thru' the lang winters' nicht when ye have tae lie your lane,
Ach! ye'll weary lang before I'll come and see ye.