Unless we're talking about a different version from the one that
circulated a day or so ago,
Yes I have seen your bonny lad,
'Twas on the sea I spied him.
His grave is green but not wi' grass
And you'll never lie beside him.
means that he's drowned.
Dru
> Message Received: Oct 31 2008, 02:53 PM
> From: "Gibbons, John"
> To: "the Red Goblin" , "nsp"
> Cc:
> Subject: [NSP] Re: "Maa Bonny Lad"
>
>
> Of course the 'ower long' in the printed text, probably sounded
'ower
> lang',
> so we don't fully lose the internal rhyme.
>
> I read this song as referring to a keelman being nabbed by a press
gang
> when he was on shore.
>
> If more verses had survived, the reading might be clearer.
>
> John
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: the Red Goblin [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: 31 October 2008 14:08
> To: nsp
> Subject: [NSP] Re: "Maa Bonny Lad"
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Matt Seattle [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: 31 October 2008 10:54
> 8< snip
> > My question is, is there a meaning apart from the obvious in the
> > notion of the Keelman going "oe'r land" in this song and in the
title
> > of the pipe tune?
>
> Well, I can brainstorm 3 possibilities to get the ball rolling:
> A: Walking from home to join a keel crew
> B: Gone ashore to plant a mooring post
> C: Returning home after death
>
> I'm assuming A was the obvious one.
>
> In support of B is the following line (in your ref. "He's gyen to
moor
> the
> keel, O!"). Or, more strongly, in 'Bonnie Keel Laddie'* ("He's
geane
> ower
> land, wiv a stick in his hand, T' help to moor the keel, o!"). But
> contrariwise:
> 1: It implies the questioner is already on board
> 2: The question implies a longer time-span than such a task
requires
>
> Finally, considering the 2nd verse's gloomy answer, C may even be
a
> reference to (primarily Celtic) beliefs about:
> 1: Souls being unable to cross water
> 2: The homeward routes taken by the souls of deceased warriors
> according to whether they died bravely or ingloriously
> (the oft-misinterpreted heavenly 'high road' vs. underground
> 'low road' theme as embodied by the 'Loch Lomond' song)
> Too fanciful ? Yeah, probably ! R&DFC
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Collins
>
> * http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=9172
>
>
>
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