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Updated
04/30/2020 |
Kate Dalrymple
Kate Dalrymple is a traditional Scottish reel. The melody
is based on an ancient folk-tune. The melody was first published
in 1750 under the title "The New Highland Laddie."
Kate Dalrymple was a noted beauty, and the subject of a
Gainsborough portrait.
The tune is used by the BBC as the theme music for the BBC Radio
Scotland dance music program Take the Floor.
There are accompanying lyrics in Scots, written by William Watt
(1792−1859).
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Lyrics by
William Watt
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In a wee cot house far across the muir
Where pease-weeps, plovers, an’ waups
cry dreary,
There liv’d an’ auld maid for mony lang
years,
Wha ne’er a woo-er did e’er ca’, dearie.
A lanely lass was Kate Dalrymple,
A thrifty quean was Kate Dalrymple;
Nae music, exceptin’ the clear burnie’s
wimple,
Was heard round the dwellin’ o’ Kate
Dalrymple.
Her face had a smack o’ the gruesome an’
grim,
That did frae the fash o’ a’ woo-ers
defend her;
Her long Roman nose nearly met wi’ her
chin,
That brang folk in mind o’ the auld
witch o’ Endor.
A wiggle in her walk had Kate Dalrymple,
A sniggle in her talk had Kate Dalrymple;
An’ mony a cornelian an’ cairngorm
pimple,
Did blaze on the dun face o’ Kate
Dalrymple.
She span terry woo’ the hale winter
thro’
For Kate ne’er was lazy, but eident and
thrifty;
She wrocht ‘mang the peats, coil’d the
hay, shor the corn,
An’ supported her sel’ by her ain hard
shift aye.
But ne’er a lover came to Kate Dalrymple,
For beauty an’ tocher wanted Kate
Dalrymple;
Unheeded was the quean, baith by gentle
and simple,
A blank in existence seem’d puir Kate
Dalrymple.
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But mony are the ups an’ the downs in
life,
When the dice-box o’ fate’s jumbled a’
tapsal-teerie,
Sae Kate fell heiress to a rich frien’s
estate,
An’ nae langer for woo-ers had she cause
to weary.
The Laird came a-wooin’ soon o’ Kate
Dalrymple,
The Lawyer, scrapin’, bowin’, fan oot
Kate Dalrymple;
Owre ilk woo-ers face was seen love’s
smilin’ dimple,
Sae noo she’s nae mair, Kate, but Miss
Dalrymple.
She often times thocht when she dwelt by
hersel’,
She could wed Willie Speedyspool, the
sarkin’ weaver;
An noo unto Will she the secret did
tell,
Wha for love or for interest did kindly
receive her.
He flung by his beddles soon for Kate
Dalrymple,
He brent a’ his treddles doon for Kate
Dalrymple;
Tho’ his richt e’e doth skellie an’ his
left leg doth limp ill,
He’s won the heart an’ got the hand o’
Kate Dalrymple. |
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