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Ae Fond Kiss
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Ae Fond Kiss
(Robert Burns)
Song Lyric as sung by Five Hand Reel
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae fareweil, alas, forever!
Deep in heartwrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
Wha shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerfu twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.
I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy:
Naethin could resist my Nancy!
But to see her was to love her
Love but her, and love for ever.
Had we never loved sae kindly,
Had we never loved sae blindly,
Never met, or never pairted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.
Fare thee weill, thou first and fairest
Fare thee weill, thou best and dearest
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love and pleasure
Song Notes
As sung by Bobby Eaglesham.
This was one of Bobby's favourite and most requested songs, both solo and then with Five Hand Reel.
The 4th verse of this song contains in four short lines the essence of the trillions of words ever written in all the poems, novels, films and plays on the subject of lost love. Everyone tempted to write a broken-hearted love song should use this song as the yardstick. To quote from another of Burns' poems, "It wad frae mony a folly free us - and foolish notion".
In general, the folk world in Scotland tended to shy away from Burns' most popular songs during the 60s. They had become so identified with Tartan kitsch that it was difficult to imagine them in a different setting. Bobby deserves more recognition than he's been given for the huge part he played in "rehabilitating" songs like Ae Fond Kiss and My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose back into the popular folk repertoire.
Glossary
The meanings of many Scots words can be inferred from context or similarity to English words with a common root. For the more difficult used in this song, here's a brief glossary.
- ae :
- one
- ilka :
- every
More help in the General Guide to Scots
Recorded by Dick Gaughan
For A That (1977)
Also recorded by
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