Farewell to Alvah's Woods and Braes

DESCRIPTION: The singer bids farewell to Alvah, "The place of my nativity." He recalls the happy times on Deveron's banks. But 'My ship it lies in readiness, My loving friends I'll bid goodbye." He will be buried where there is none to shed a tear -- but leaves anyway
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1914 (Greig/Duncan8)
KEYWORDS: home emigration
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Greig/Duncan8 1526, "Farewell to Alvah's Woods and Braes" (1 fragment, 1 tune)
Ord-BothySongsAndBallads, p. 349, "Farewell to Alvah's Woods and Braes" (1 text)
Roud #4590
NOTES [74 words]: Ord-BothySongsAndBallads was told that people in Banff called this "The Poacher's Farewell," but the song contains no hint of transportation that I can see. What it does have is echoes of many other songs -- e.g. "The Earl of Errol" or the like ("Oh, Alvah it's a bonnie place"), "Trooper and Maid" ("He turned him right and round about"), etc. They aren't really cross-referenceable; it's just that this is built from many common phrases. - RBW
Last updated in version 2.5
File: Ord349

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