Volume V, song 458, pages 470 and 471 - 'I'll ay ca' in by yon Town' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'I'll ay ca' in by yon town, And by yon garden green, again; I'll ay ca' in by yon town, And see my bonie Jean again. There's nane sall ken there's nane sall guess, What brings me back to the gate again, But she my fairest faithfu' lass, And stow'nlins we sall meet again.' 'Nane sall ken', would read as 'none shall know' and 'stowlins' in Scots means stealthily. 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. The second song, to accompany the same melody, begins: 'O wat ye wha's in yon town, / Ye see the e'enin Sun upon, / The dearest maid's in yon town'. Both sets of lyrics, it has now been ascertained, were written by Burns for this popular dance tune. James Oswald and Robert Bremner both published the tune for the first time at the same time in 1759. It was, however, published under the different title of, 'I'll gae nae mair to your Town'.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503652

Title

Volume V, song 458, pages 470 and 471 - 'I'll ay ca' in by yon Town' - 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

- 258 x 211 mm