In Celtic Songs there are a lot of fine girls wandering through the moors in the strangest hours, here two similar lyrics, the first one of Scottish origin, the other Irish. For the romantic and nostalgic atmosphere both songs are perfect in pubs and convivial events. The melody was also taken by Bob Dylan for the composition of a protest song entitled “The Walls of Red Wing” well known in the 60s.
I’m talking about “Road to Dundeee” and “Sweet Carnlough (or Carnloch) Bay” being Dundee a populous town near the sea in Scotland and Carnlough Bay, a small town on the northeastern coast of Ireland.
The story is just the same: more detailed in the Scottish version of 8/9 stanzas, reduced to 4 stanzas in the Irish version. A girl asks for information to reach a place on the sea and a gallant gentleman shows her the way. Nothing out of the ordinary, except that we are in the middle of winter. What a girl did in the street at dawn and all alone? Perhaps she was a peasant / milkmaker or a street seller who brought her goods to the nearest market.
ROAD TO DUNDEE
The song is also known and popular in Canada, some scholars assume it has a relatively recent origin and has been popularized in Scotland and Ireland by a family of McKay or McKie street sellers.
Mrs. Mary McKay claims to be a descendant of this family and writes: “I know who the Poet McKay is . He was Richard McKay, born Armagh 1800 and died in Blairgowrie Scotland in 1897. He was a direct ancestor of mine. According to my family he also wrote ‘The Road and the Miles to Dundee’, the Scottish version of ‘Sweet Carnlough Bay’. He was a hawker himself as were most of my ancestors at that time” (The Mudcat Cafè)
A version was printed in 1908 in the weekly column of “The Buchan Observer” (county of Aberdeen) edited by Gavin Greig , and two melodies one of 1930 published in “Bothy Songs and Ballads” by John Ord and the other of 1939 in “Irish Ballads” by Colm O’Lochlainn which is the most popular.
A song a bit “old style” for the regret of a love met by chance along the road to Dundee, but lost because of the shyness of the protagonist.
Bert Jansch (soul music with a black and white view)
| I Cold winter was howlin’ o’er moorland and mountain And wild was the surge of the dark rolling sea When I met about daybreak a bonnie young lassie Who asked me the road and the miles to Dundee. II Says I, “My young lassie, I canna weel tell ye, The road and the distance I canna weel gie, But if you’ll permit me to gang a wee bittie, I’ll show you the road and the miles to Dundee.” III The lassie consented and gie (1) me her airm Not a word did I speir (2) wha the lassie micht be She appeared like an angel in feature and form As she walked by my side on the road to Dundee. IV At length wi’ the Howe o’ Strathmartine (3) behind us The spires o’ the toon in full view we could see, She said, “Gentle sir, I can never forget ye For showin’ me so far on the road to Dundee. |
V This ring and this purse please accept as a token (4) And surely there’s somethin’ that ye can gi’e me, That in years to come I’ll the laddie remember Who showed me the road and the miles to Dundee?” VI I took the gold pin frae the scarf on my bosom, And said, “Tak’ ye this, in remembrance o’ me”, And bravely I kissed the sweet lips o’ the lassie And I pairted frae her on the road to Dundee. VII So here’s tae the lassie; I canna forget her, And ilka young laddie wha’s listenin’ to me, O never be sweir (5) to convey a young lassie, Though it’s only to show her the road to Dundee |
NOTES
1) gie – give
2) speir – speak
3) Howe of Strathmartine: it is located north of Dundee. Where the River Tay dives into the North Sea, on the north bank of the wide estuary, stands the fourth most populous city in Scotland
4) exaggerated gifts for two who have just met and will never meet again!
5) sweiter= sweer
SWEET CARNLOUGH BAY
Carnlough or Carnloch Bay is a small port town on the north-east coast of Ireland, the melody is vaguely similar to “The Road to Dundee”, different country but the same story.
Paddy Reilly
Blackthorn in Give it some stick 2002
I When winter was brawling o’er high hills and mountains And dark were the clouds o’er the deep rolling sea I spied a fair lass as the daylight was dawning She was asking the road to sweet Carnlough Bay. II I said, “My fair lass, I surely will tell you The road and the number of miles it will be but if you consent I’ll convey you a wee bit then I’ll show you the road to sweet Carnlough Bay. |
III You turn to the right and go down to the churchyard Cross over the river and down by the sea We’ll stop at Pat Hamill’s (1) and have a wee drop there Just to help us along to sweet Carnlough Bay. IV Here’s a health to Pat Hamill, likewise the dear lassie And all you young laddies who’re listening to me And ne’er turn your back on a bonnie young lassie When she’s asking the road to sweet Carnlough Bay. |
NOTES
1) nowadays “The Glencloy Inn”
Mainly Norfolk
The Walls of Red Wing
The Mudcat Cafè
