Volume V, song 449, page 461 - 'Sae far Awa' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'O sad and heavy should I part, But for her sake sae far awa; unknowing what my way may thwart, My native land sae far awa. Thou that of a' things Maker art, That form'd this Fair sae far awa, Gin body strength, then I'll ne'er start, At this my way sae far awa.' The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition. Underneath the title, at the top of the page, it is recorded that Burns wrote this song. It is sometimes known by the title 'My native land, sae far awa''. Despite the subject of the poem Burns never actually left the island of Britain. Burns left notes on some of the songs included in the earlier volumes of the 'Museum' but unfortunately these stopped long before this song was released for publication so no further information on it is known. The melody to the piece is entitled 'Dalkeith's Maiden Bridge' which is a Scots measure and hornpipe.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503643

Title

Volume V, song 449, page 461 - 'Sae far Awa' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Object Type

PhysicalObject

Measurements

- 129 x 211 mm