Volume VI, song 544 pages 562 and 563 - 'Wha wadna be in love &c' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'Wha wadna be in love Wi' bonny Maggy Lawder a piper met her gaun to Fife, And spier'd what was't they ca'd her right scornfully she answered him begone you hallanshaker; Jog on your gate, you bladderskate My name is Maggy Lawder.' 'Spier'd' means 'inquired', 'hallanshaker' means 'tramp' and 'bladderskate' is a noisy talker. 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. John Glen (1900) writes that the tune for this song is 'Maggie Lauder', who is the subject of the song. There are a numerous different spellings for the song title of 'Maggie Lauder', which can cause some confusion. It is also unclear as to where the tune originates from, with Scotland, England and Ireland all laying claim to it. Whatever, the melody was popular in London at the start of the eighteenth century, and appears in several English folk song collections.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503739

Title

Volume VI, song 544 pages 562 and 563 - 'Wha wadna be in love &c' - 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