SONGS

BONNIE WOOD O' CRAIGIELEE.

Set to Music by Mr. James Barr.

Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Near thee I pass'd life's early day,
An won my Mary's heart in thee.

THE brume, the brier, the birken bush,
Bloom bonnie o'er thy flowery lee,
An a the sweets that ane can wish
Frae Nature's han, are strewed on thee.

Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Near thee I pass'd life's early day,
An won my Mary's heart in thee.

Far ben thy dark green plantin's shade
The cushat croodles am'rously,
The mavis, doon thy buchted glade,
Gars echo ring frae ev'ry tree.

Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Near thee I pass'd life's early day,
An won my Mary's heart in thee.

Awa, ye thochtless, murd'rin gang,
Wha tear the nestlin's ere they flee !
They'll sing you yet a cantie sang,
Then, oh ! in pity let them be !

Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Near thee I pass'd life's early day,
An won my Mary's heart in thee.

Whan winter blaws in sleety showers,
Frae aff the Norlan hills sae hie,
He lichtly skiffs thy bonnie bow'rs,
As laith tae harm a flow'r in thee.

Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Near thee I pass'd life's early day,
An won my Mary's heart in thee.

Though fate should drag me south the line,
Or o'er the wide Atlantic sea,
The happy hours I'll ever mind
That I, in youth, hae spent in thee.

Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,
Near thee I pass'd life's early day,
An won my Mary's heart in thee.


This song first appeared in the Glasgow Nightingale of 1806, page 75, and is titled “Bonny Wood of Craigielee.” See the first Note to No. 13.

Note by R. A. Smith in the “Harp of Renfrewshire,” page xxxvii.—The music to “Thou bonnie wood o' Craigielee” was composed by ‘Blythe Jamie Barr frae Saint Barchan's toun.’ It does the author great credit. It is a very pleasing and natural melody, and has become most deservedly a great favourite all over the West Kintra side. I think this little ballad possesses considerable merit ; one of the stanzas (the last) strikes me as being particularly beautiful.”

Note by Ramsay.—“The scenery, here so finely described, lies to the north west of Paisley. Since Tannahill's time its beauty has been sadly impaired by the erection of a more unpoetical object, the gas work.”

There was no place on the estate of Ferguslie called Craigielee until Tannahill invented that name, and which first appeared in print when the author published the song in the Nightingale, and also in the first edition of his songs in 1807. There was a mailing on Ferguslie estate called Craigs, from the rocks abounding in it, and it was probably that name which suggested to the author the softening of the word into Craigielee. It has now become a classic name. In the 1815 Edition, the last letter of the name, e, was corrupted into an a, without giving any authority whatever for making the change. In several of the editions that have followed the true orthography of the Author has been observed, and in several other editions the corrupted spelling has been adopted. In grammar, it is said, there is no rule for the spelling of the proper names of persons and places, We are of opinion the Author's mode of spelling the name is correct, and have accordingly followed his rule. The Author was the Inventor, and he is certainly the best judge. The Author's mode of spelling the name even looks better in print. It was not an agricultural word that Tannahill was writing, but a fine soft word, melting away in the poetry of the name and sound. He has been equally successful in the name of Craigielee as he was with his invented name of Glenfeoch in No. 82.

“Thou bonnie wood o Craigielee,” with “thy dark green plantin's shade,” was situated at the foot of King Street, along the Blackston Road, on the Ferguslie estate, the fir tree plantations growing on each side of the road, were frequently called “King Street woods” and “Mary Spreul's woods,” the name of the tenant. It was within five minutes' walk from Tannahill's residence, No. 6 Queen Street, Paisley, and was the favourite haunt of his youth, and of all the boys in the west end of the town. “The brume, the briar, the birken bush,” flourished luxuriantly on the soil, and the wild flowers with their many coloured blossoms adorned the scene. It was a vast aviary of singing birds and the best place nearest the town for bird nesting. These plantations of Scots firs were cut down about forty years ago, and the last tree that fell under the woodman's axe was preserved, and came into possession of James Caldwell, Esq., Writer, Craigielee, Paisley, who in 1873 made 60 coups from it, turned out of the solid wood, which he presented to his friends. The one received by us measures at the mouth, in diameter 3 inches, and from the extremities of the handles 5 inches. On the obverse side the first and fourth verses of the song were written, and on the reverse side the following inscription, both being holograph of the donor:—“This cap, made from part of ‘The Bonnie Wood of Craigielea,’ is presented as a token of respect to my esteemed friend, Mr. David Semple. (Signed) Ja. Caldwell, Craigielea Place. Paisley, 25th June, 1873.”—Ed.

[Semple 68]