Flowers of Edinburgh (I), The

DESCRIPTION: The singer mourns the loss of her bonny lad, driven away by her parents and "rival foes." She will board a ship "to that distant shore, To meet my lovely darling swain." "The bells shall ring and sweet birds sing, To grace and crown our nuptial day"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1804 (Scots Musical Museum, according to Greig/Duncan4 830)
KEYWORDS: love separation sea ship nonballad father mother
FOUND IN:
Roud #8480
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 28(7), "The Flowers of Edinburgh" ("My love was once a bonny lad"), unknown, no date
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "A Bonnie Laddie, But Far Awa (theme: parents drive lover away)
NOTES [67 words]: As in the case of "The Flowers of Edinburgh" (II), reported by Greig, "The song appears to have been written as words for the well known dance tune 'The Flowers of Edinburgh'; the name of the song is not in the text."
Apparently broadside Bodleian, 2806 c.11(195), "Flowers of Edinburgh" ("My love was once a bonny boy"), H. Such (London), 1863-1885 is this song but I could not download and verify it. - BS
Last updated in version 5.1
File: BrdTFlEd

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