The Bonnie Banks o Fordie
1: The Banks of Airdrie
Versions from the Singing Tradition
1: Banks of Airdrie
As sung by Mary Campbell of Huntly
2: Banks of Airdrie
As sung by Mary Reid, Peat Inn, Fife
3: Banks of Airdrie
As sung by Peasie Reid, Torwood, Birnam, Dunkeld
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Sung by Mary Campbell of Huntly, at Blairgowrie, Perthshire, August I967 and April I968. Recorded at Marshall's Field. Mary and Donald Campbell were camped on the field along with other travellers for the annual berrypicking. Mary said she had learned the ballad a number of years earlier from Peggy Cameron, in whose family the song was well known. Collected and transcribed by Peter Shepheard, and as published in Bronson (as version 7.1). Child gave the ballad the title 'Babylon' or 'The Bonnie Banks of Fordie' after two of the main variants in his collection. The ballad is widely known among the Scottish travellers - and almost invariably with the Airdrie title and without the verse that follows the murder of each sister in many of the printed versions [i.e. Then he's taen out his wee penknife, And twined this young maid of her life].
First verse forgotten. It tells of how three sisters meet the robber John.
He took the first pretty sister by the hand
Hey win sa bonnie
He whirled her round an' he made her stand
On the dewy banks o' Airdrie O
Will you be a rank robber's wife
Hey win sa bonnie
Or will you die by my penknife
On the dewy banks o' Airdrie O
I won't be a rank robber's wife
Hey win sa bonnie
So I will die by your penknife
On the dewy banks o' Airdrie O
He took the next pretty sister by the hand
He whirled her round an' he made her stand
Refrain lines sung with each verse.
Will you be a rank robber's wife
Or will you die by my penknife
I won't be a rank robber's wife
So I will die by your penknife
He took the third pretty sister by the hand
He whirled her round an' he made her stand
Will you be a rank robber's wife
Or will you die by my penknife
I have three brothers who pass this way
If you kill me it's they'll kill you
Pray tell me your three brothers' names
William, Peter, an' the other's named John
Pray tell me what's this I have done
Hey win sa bonnie
I've killed my three pretty sisters all but one
On the dewy banks o' Airdrie O
On singing the song again in April 1968, she sang the first refrain line: Hey win sa bonnie O. This was without any comment from myself.
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