Volume V, song 480, page 494 - 'Here's his health in water' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'Altho' my back be at the wa', And though he be the fautor, Although my back be at the wa', Yet here's his health in water. O wae gae by his wanton sides, Sae brawly's he could flatter; till for his sake I'm slighted fair, And dree the kintra clatter; But though my back be at the wa', Yet here's his health in water.' 'Fautor' in this instance means 'trangressor' and 'braw' would read as 'fine'. 'Dree the kintra clatter' translates as 'endure the countryside's gossip'. 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 tune to this piece is known as 'The job of journey work' and was first published by Aird, in 1788, in his 'Third Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs'. This sprightly melody is thought to be based on another popular but older tune of the time, 'My wife has ta'en the gee'.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503674

Title

Volume V, song 480, page 494 - 'Here's his health in water' - 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