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Loch Voil, Balquhidder, Lochearnhead, Scotland

The Braes of Balquhidder
(R. A. Smith / Robert Tannahill)

Let us go, lassie, go
Tae the braes o' Balquhidder
Whar the blueberries grow
'Mang the bonnie Hielan heather
Whar the deer and the rae
Lichtly bounding thegither
Sport the lang summer days
On the braes o' Balquhidder

I will twin thee a bow'r
By the clear silver fountain
And I'll cover it o'er
Wi' the flooers o' the mountain
I will range through the wilds
And the deep glens sae dreary
And return wi' their spoils
Tae the bow'r o' my dearie

When the rude wintry win'
Idly waves roun' oor dwellin'
And the roar o' the linn
On the night breeze is swellin'
So merrily we'll sing
As the storm rattles o'er us
Till the dear sheilin' ring
Wi' the light liltin chorus

Noo the summers in prime
Wi' the flooers richly bloomin'
Wi' the wild mountain thyme
A' the moorlan's perfumin'
Tae oor dear native scenes
Let us journey thegither
Whar glad innocence reigns
Mang the braes o' Balquhidder
 

 Wild Mountain Thyme
(Byrds version)

Oh the summer time is coming
And the leaves are sweetly turning
And the wild mountain thyme
Blooms across the purple heather
Will you go lassie go

If you will not go with me
I will surely find another
To pull wild mountain thyme
All across the purple heather
Will you go lassie go

And we'll all go together
To pull wild mountain thyme
All across the purple heather
Will you go lassie go

Copyright 1966 Tickson Music
From the "Fifth Dimension"  LP  Columbia Records 1966


 

lassie - girl
brae - hill
twin - plait (braid/weave)
rae - roe deer
linn - waterfall
flooer - flower
hielan' - highland
lichtly - lightly
lang - long
mang - among
nicht - night
sheilin - cottage

 Go, Lassie, Go
(Podell/Schorr)
(New Christy Minstrels version)

Oh the summer time is coming
And the lads are with their lassies
And their eyes all a-glowing
They're gone off among the heather
Will ye go, lassie, go

And we'll all go together
To the wild mountain thyme
Where it blooms around the heather
Will ye go, lassie, go

Soon a wall will be between us
And the heed will ..... married
For the long brumal go
While thee still can see the heather
Will ye go, lassie, go

If I not come back by winter
then I hope you'll find another
Ere the summer winds blow
While the bloom is on the heather
Will ye go, lassie, go












 
Will You Go, Lassie Go
(Irish version by McPeake)

Oh the summer time is coming
And the trees are sweetly blooming
And the wild mountain thyme
Grows around the blooming heather
Will you go lassie go

And we'll all go together
To pluck wild mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather
Will you go lassie go

I will build my love a bower
By yon crystal fountain
And on it I will pile
All the wild flowers of the mountain
Will you go lassie go

If my true love she were gone
I would surely find another
Where wild mountain thyme
Grows around the blooming heather
Will you go lassie go

The lyrics were written first by the Scot Robert Tannahill (1774-1810).
The song was adapted and recorded by the Irishman William McPeake 1957. Copyright by English Folk Dance and Song Society Publications.

Will ye go, lassie, go
And we'll all go together
To pick wild mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather
Will ye go, lassie, go

Today for some people the phrase "to pull wild mountain thyme" is a synonym for "having sex"