- A traditional love song, The
Corncrake comes from south west Scotland mentioning the town
of Ayr and the river Doune which flows to the sea just south of the
town. The sound of the corncrake (a harsh rasping call which might
not be thought particularly romantic) has now become rare in
mainland Scotland with the loss of meadow habitat. The song is known
throughout Scotland and is in the Greig-Duncan Folk-Song Collection.
-
- Oh the lass that I loed best of all
was handsome young and fair,
- Wi her I spent some merry nights upon
the banks o Ayr;
- Wi her I spent some merry nights by
yon wee burnie rows,
- Whaur the echo mocks the corncrakes
amang the whinny knowes.
-
- Oh we loed each other dearly and
disputes we seldom had,
- As constant as the pendulum her heart
beats always glad;
- We sought for joy and found it by yon
wee burnie rows,
- Whaur the echo mocks the corncrakes
amang the whinny knowes.
-
- Ah ye maidens fair and pleasure dames
drive tae the banks o Doune,
- An ye'll dearly pay for every scent
tae the barber for perfume;
- But rural joy is free tae aa whaur
scented clover grows,
- Whaur the echo mocks the corncrakes
amang the whinny knowes.
-
- Oh the lass that I loed best of all
was handsome young and fair,
- Wi her I spent some merry nights upon
the banks o Ayr;
- Wi her I spent some merry nights by
yon wee burnie rows,
- Whaur the echo mocks the corncrakes
amang the whinny knowes.
