Banks of Inverurie

Brian McNeill - guitar; Pete Shepheard - melodeon; Gordon Duncan - whistle

1: Ae nicht as I went a-walking and doun as I did pass,
On the banks of Inverurie I met a bonnie lass;
Her hair hung ower her shoulders broad, her eyes like stars did shine,
On the banks of Inverurie and oh gin she were mine.

2: I did embrace this fair maid with all the haste I could,
Her hair hung ower her shoulders broad all in its threads of gowd;
Her hair hung ower her shoulders broad, her eyes like draps o dew,
"On the Banks of Inverurie I long to walk with you."

3: She said, "Young man give over and don't delude me so,
For after kissing wooing comes and after wooing woe;
My tender heart you will ensnare and I'll beguiled be,
On the banks of Inverurie I'll walk alone," said she.

4: He said, "My pretty fair maid, the truth I'll ne'er deny,
On the banks of Inverurie many maids beguiled have I;
I used to flatter fair maids but now that shall not be,
On the banks of Inverurie if you will walk with me."

5: He put a horn untae his lips and he blew loud and shrill,
Till four and twenty armed men came to their master's call,
"I used to flatter fair maids but now that cannot be,
On the banks of Inverurie if you will marry me."

6: "Now come my pretty fair maid and mount on horseback high,
Unto a parson we will go and that immediately,
And I will sing these lines with joy until the day I dee,
To the praise of Inverurie's banks where first I met with thee."

Jock: I aye met in wi Jimmy (McBeath) - sittin at the Queen in Union Street - there wis benches there. He wis aye sittin there or near or han top o Bridge Street. He wis aye ready wi a song ye ken. It wis aboot a fortnight afore he dee'd [in 1971] that he sung it the last time tae me - in Aberdeen, in the Castlegate - a room in the Castlegate. Jimmy resided there for aboot five year. Jimmy McBeath also recorded the song on his album Wild Rover no More (Springthyme SPRC 1020).

c p 1996 Springthyme Records : www.springthyme.co.uk