Volume VI, song 593, page 613 - 'O that I had ne'er been Married' - 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 that I had ne'er been married, I wad never had nae care, Now I've gotten wife and bairns An' they cry crowdie ever mair. Ance crowdie twice crowdie Three times crowdie in a day; Gin ye crowdie ony mair Ye'll crowdie a' my meal away.' 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. Stenhouse, the later editor of the 'Museum', claimed that Burns had communicated this melody to Johnson. There is no record of it previous to the 'Museum', however, so perhaps Burns wrote it or more likely Johnson came across it after Burns's death. Johnson has added under the title that this song was corrected by Burns. This is one of the few instances where Burns's involvement with a song has been recorded, although his specific changes are still not highlighted. Despite the lack of indicators, this was a common occurrence throughout the 'Museum'. The last verse was added by Burns, according to Johnson's note. Again it was common for Burns to take an existing fragment and use it as inspiration for further composition.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503788

Title

Volume VI, song 593, page 613 - 'O that I had ne'er been Married' - 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