My Ain Countrie
The sun rises bright in France,
and fair sets he,
But he has lost the look he had,
in my ain countrie
Though gladness comes to many,
a sorrow comes to me
As I look o’er the ocean wide
tae my ain countrie
It’s no my ain ruin
that saddens aye my ee
But the love I left in Gallowa
wi bonnie bairnies three
My hamely hearth burns bonnie
an smiles my sweet Marie
I left my heart behind me,
in my ain countrie
The bird wins back tae summertime,
and the blossom tae the tree
But I’ll win back, no never,
tae my ain countrie
I’m leal tae high heaven,
that will prove leal tae me
An I will meet ye aa aricht soon,
frae my ain countrie
Allan Cunningham (1784 – 1842)
I remember asking my
Grandfather Paul Lindsey, many years ago, if he knew
an old folksong entitled "My Ain Countrie." It had to be further back than 1983, because that's when he died. I had come across the song title in something I was reading -- probably in junior high. At any rate, way back before search engines and youtube, so I asked
my erudite grandpa instead. He was an expert at reciting old poems and songs, and I thought he knew everything, but this time he drew a blank: "I just don't know that one Honey Girl."
How I would have loved to learn the lyrics and hear the melody, but it didn't happen. Not until today! For whatever reason, after all these years, that title -- "My Ain Countrie" -- came floating through my mind again this afternoon, and within moments, thanks to 21st Century technology, the above rendition and the following information was available to me:
"My Ain Countrie
"A sad late Jacobite song of exile.
"The song was written by Allan Cunningham, an author and poet in the manner of Robert Burns, who was born at Keir, near Dalswinton, Dumfriesshire. Cunningham’s father had been a neighbour of Robert Burns at Ellisland, and Allan became a friend of James Hogg.
"Cunningham was asked by Robert Cromek to help gather old songs for Cromek’s book called 'Robert Hartley Cromek's Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song.' Cunningham successfully presented several of his own imitations of ballads and Jacobite songs as old originals. One of these was ‘My Ain Countrie.’
"The tune is said to be ‘A Gaelic air.’"
Now, if asked what novel I was reading when I first came across the reference to "My Ain Countrie," I would have said it was the funeral of Charlie (one of the
Eight Cousins) in
Rose in Bloom, My internet search tells me that this song appears nowhere in the works of Louisa May Alcott or even Sir Walter Scott. However,
a different version appears in
A Birds' Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Wiggin.
I have also learned that some
version of this song was sung
as a hymn at the funeral of
Lizzie Borden! I don't think this is what I was reading about back in the 8th grade, or whenever it was. I think I would remember that.
In one of those mixed blessings, the music and lyrics have at last been revealed to me, even though I have lost the original reference. Perhaps it may yet be restored to my memory. Through the portal . . .
