Ca' the Ewes to The Knowes

Ca' the Ewes to The Knowes

CA' THE YOWES TAE THE KNOWES

Ca' the ewes tae the knowes

Ca' them where the heather grows

Ca' them where the burnie rowes

My bonnie dearie

Hark a mavis evening song

Soundin' Cluden's woods amang

Then a foldin' let us gang

My bonnie dearie

We'll gae doon by Cludenside

Through the hazels spreading wide

All the ways that sweetly glide

To the moon sae clearly

Doon the Cluden silent hours

All in moonshine midnight hours

All the dewy buddin' flowers

The fairies dance so cheery

Ghaist nor boggle shall thou fear

Thou art to love Heaven so dear

Naught of ill shall come you near

My bonnie dearie

Fair and lovely as thou art

Thou hast stolen my very heart

I can die but canna part

Wi' my bonnie dearie

Andy M. Stewart

Also Sometimes these verses

3. Ye sall get gowns and ribbons meet,

Cauf-leather shoon upon your feet,

And in my arms ye'se lie and sleep,

An' ye sall be my dearie.

Chorus:

4. If ye'll but stand to what ye've said,

I'se gang wi' thee, my shepherd lad,

And ye may row me in your plaid,

And I sall be your dearie.

Chorus:

5. While waters wimple to the sea,

While day blinks in the lift sae hie,

Till clay-cauld death sall blin' my e'e,

Ye sall be my dearie.

Chorus:

CA' THE YOWES TAE THE KNOWES, MOLLY AND ME

Good morning to you, fair maid, you're tending your flock

What brings you so early unto this green spot?

My faither's in the fields and he's waiting for me

To ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me

My faither's a shepherd, herds sheep on yon hill

If you get his sanction, I'll be at your will

And if he does grant it, right glad I will be

To ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me

Good morning to you, old man, you're counting your flock

Could you spare me a ewe-lamb for to keep up my stock

And grass for to feed it on yonder green lea

Ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me

Gang doon tae yon burnside and choose your ain lamb

You can get it as easy as any man can

And grass for to feed it on yonder green lea

Ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me

Tommy stepped forward, caught Molly by the hand

And right before her auld faither the couple did stand

Saying, This is the ewe-lamb that I asked from thee

Ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me

Oh Tommy, oh Tommy, it's you've me beguiled

It's little did I think that you meant my own child

But since I have said it say, well then, let it be

Ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me

A peck of gold thou shalt have, it will sleek with my one

And if that won't so then I'll heap with my hand

And yon fleecy flocks a' that feed on yon lea

I will sign them all over to Molly and thee

This song has been recorded by many artists.

Some known versions were done by:

Andy M. Stewart

Tannahill Weavers

Moira Kerr

Steeleye Span

Ian Bruce

The Corries

Shirley Collins

Sileas

Kim Robertson

The Birkin Tree

Dougie MacLean

The poet says of this song in a letter to Thomson*:

"I am flattered at your adopting the 'Ca' The Yowes To The Knowes', as it was owing to me that

it ever saw the light. When I gave it to Johnson*, I added some stanzas to the song and mended

others; but still it will not do for you. In a solitary stroll which I took today, I tried my hands on a

few pastoral lines following up the ideas of the chorus, which I would preserve. Here it is, with all

its crudities and imperfections on its head."

Mr Thomson, in reply, calls the song "a precious merceau" and adds:

"I am perfectly astonished and charmed with the endless variety of your fancy."

(From "Scottish Songs Illustrated," pub. 1890, Adam and Gee, middle Street, West Smithfield,

London)

* George Thomson and James Johnson -- Burns' editors)

This is a virtual songbook please do not write me trying to buy a hard copy?

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Scottish Blackface Information

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival

New York State Sheep & Wool Festival

Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival

No part of this website may be used for any purpose ( including using images )

without written consent from The Rams Horn

Queen Among the Heather Folk Music Index Shepherds Songbook Sheep Jewelry	HOME \| home Ca' the Ewes to The Knowes \| Queen Among The Heather \| The Broom of Cowdenknowes \| Bonny May \| Searching for Lambs \| Heather Down the Moor \| The Shepherd's Wife \| Tarry Wool \| Stormy Winds \| Shepherd of the Downs \| The Sheep-Shearing Song \| The Sheep Shearing \| Rosebud in June \| Lincolnshire Shepherd \| Sheep Shearin \| Drink Boys, Drink \| Darby Ram \| Ewie wi' the Crookit Horn \| Master of the Sheepfold \| The Sheep Under the Snow \| The Weary Pund O' Tow \| Sheep Crook and Black Dog \| The Shearing's Nae For You \| Band of Shearers \| Twanky Dillo \| The Shepherd Lad O' Rhynie \| Laird o' Drum \| Blind Shepherd \| Canny Shepherd Laddie \| Road to the Isles \| Tip O' Derwent
	Ca' the Ewes to The Knowes CA' THE YOWES TAE THE KNOWES Ca' the ewes tae the knowes Ca' them where the heather grows Ca' them where the burnie rowes My bonnie dearie Hark a mavis evening song Soundin' Cluden's woods amang Then a foldin' let us gang My bonnie dearie We'll gae doon by Cludenside Through the hazels spreading wide All the ways that sweetly glide To the moon sae clearly Doon the Cluden silent hours All in moonshine midnight hours All the dewy buddin' flowers The fairies dance so cheery Ghaist nor boggle shall thou fear Thou art to love Heaven so dear Naught of ill shall come you near My bonnie dearie Fair and lovely as thou art Thou hast stolen my very heart I can die but canna part Wi' my bonnie dearie Andy M. Stewart Also Sometimes these verses 3. Ye sall get gowns and ribbons meet, Cauf-leather shoon upon your feet, And in my arms ye'se lie and sleep, An' ye sall be my dearie. Chorus: 4. If ye'll but stand to what ye've said, I'se gang wi' thee, my shepherd lad, And ye may row me in your plaid, And I sall be your dearie. Chorus: 5. While waters wimple to the sea, While day blinks in the lift sae hie, Till clay-cauld death sall blin' my e'e, Ye sall be my dearie. Chorus: CA' THE YOWES TAE THE KNOWES, MOLLY AND ME Good morning to you, fair maid, you're tending your flock What brings you so early unto this green spot? My faither's in the fields and he's waiting for me To ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me My faither's a shepherd, herds sheep on yon hill If you get his sanction, I'll be at your will And if he does grant it, right glad I will be To ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me Good morning to you, old man, you're counting your flock Could you spare me a ewe-lamb for to keep up my stock And grass for to feed it on yonder green lea Ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me Gang doon tae yon burnside and choose your ain lamb You can get it as easy as any man can And grass for to feed it on yonder green lea Ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me Tommy stepped forward, caught Molly by the hand And right before her auld faither the couple did stand Saying, This is the ewe-lamb that I asked from thee Ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me Oh Tommy, oh Tommy, it's you've me beguiled It's little did I think that you meant my own child But since I have said it say, well then, let it be Ca the yowes tae the knowes, Molly and me A peck of gold thou shalt have, it will sleek with my one And if that won't so then I'll heap with my hand And yon fleecy flocks a' that feed on yon lea I will sign them all over to Molly and thee This song has been recorded by many artists. Some known versions were done by: Andy M. Stewart Tannahill Weavers Moira Kerr Steeleye Span Ian Bruce The Corries Shirley Collins Sileas Kim Robertson The Birkin Tree Dougie MacLean *The poet says of this song in a letter to Thomson: "I am flattered at your adopting the 'Ca' The Yowes To The Knowes', as it was owing to me that it ever saw the light. When I gave it to Johnson, I added some stanzas to the song and mended* others; but still it will not do for you. In a solitary stroll which I took today, I tried my hands on a few pastoral lines following up the ideas of the chorus, which I would preserve. Here it is, with all its crudities and imperfections on its head." Mr Thomson, in reply, calls the song "a precious merceau" and adds: "I am perfectly astonished and charmed with the endless variety of your fancy." (From "Scottish Songs Illustrated," pub. 1890, Adam and Gee, middle Street, West Smithfield, London) * George Thomson and James Johnson -- Burns' editors) This is a virtual songbook please do not write me trying to buy a hard copy? NEXT SONG Scottish Blackface Information Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival New York State Sheep & Wool Festival Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival copyright 2002 , Jim & Beth Boyle, All Rights Reserved No part of this website may be used for any purpose ( including using images ) without written consent from The Rams Horn