The boatman (Ramsay, set by J. Haydn) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Ye gales that gently wave the sea,
And please the canny boatman,
Bear me frae hence, or bring to me
My brave, my bonny Scot-man:
In haly bands we join'd our hands,
Yet may not this discover,
While parents rate a large estate,
Before a faithfu' lover.
 
But I loor chuse in Highland glens
To herd the kid and goat, man,
E'er I cou'd for sic little ends
Refuse my bonny Scot-man.
Wae worth the man wha first began
The base ungenerous fashion,
Frae greedy views love's arts to use,
While stranger to its passion.
 
Frae foreign fields, my lovely youth,
Haste to thy longing lassie,
Who pants to press thy balmy mouth,
And in her bosom hause thee.
Love gi'es the word, then haste on board,
Fair winds and tenty boatman,
Waft o'er, waft o'er frae yonder shore,
My blythe, my bonny Scot-man.

Glossary
Canny = careful, dexterous
Haly = holy
Loor = rather
Sic = such
Hause = embrace
Tenty = heedful, cautious

Input by Ferdinando Albeggiani

Authorship

Allan Ramsay (1686-1758)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

(Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Date added to the website: 2009-08-12.

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