Lyrics - The Banks O' Doon - (Robert Burns, trad.)

More commonly known as Ye Banks and Braes, this sad, wistful song typifies the elegance and beauty of Burns' words when writing of love. He was never more wistful than when he was saying goodbye to one of his many loves, or when he was describing the misfortunes of someone else's love life. In this case, his tale is of a young lady who has been betrayed by her lover.

Ye banks and braes o' bonie Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair?
How can ye chant, ye little bird,
And I sae weary, fu' o' care.

Thou'll break my heart, thou warbling bird
That wantons thro' the flowering thorn!
Thou minds me o' departed joys,
Departed - never to return.

Aft hae I rov'd by bonie Doon,
To see the rose and woodbine twine,
And ilka bird sang o' its luve,
And fondly sae did I o' mine.

Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose
Fu' sweet upon its thorny tree,
And my fause luver staw my rose,
But ah! he left the thorn wi' me.