Our hero arrives and is strongly "fancied" by the heroine of the song. Being, presumably, a fine looking girl she attracts his attention, is rejected, and then proceeds to stick a patch over her eye and generally mess about with her appearance until she looks rough enough to completely steal the beggar's heart.
All ends happily enough, again depending on your outlook, when the young lady comes home again with her three young children. What happens to the gaberlunzie man we, unfortunately, never know. Let us presume that all's well that ends well.
lyrics
A beggar a beggar came ower the lea
He was asking lodgings for charity
He was asking lodgings for charity
Would ye loo a beggar man
Lassie wi' my tow row ray
A beggar a beggar I'll ne'er loo again
I had ae dochter and Jeannie was her name
I had ae dochter and Jeannie was her name
She's awa' wi' the beggar man
Lassie wi' my tow row ray
I'll bend my back and I'll boo my knee
I'll put a black patch o'er my e'e
And a beggar a beggar they'll tak me tae be
And along wi yoo I'll gang
Laddie wi' my tow row ray
Oh lassie oh lassie you're far ower young
And ye hinnae got the cant o' the beggin tongue
And ye hinnae got the cant o' the beggin tongue
And wi' me ye winnae gang
Lassie wi' my tow row ray
She's bent her back and she's boo'd her knee
She's put a black patch o'er her e'e
And she's kilted her skirts up abune her knee
And awa' wi' him she's gan
Laddie wi' my tow row ray
Your dochter Jean's coming ower the lea
She's takin' hame her bairnies three
She has yin on her back aye and another on her knee
And the other yin's toddlin' hame
Lassie wi' my tow row ray
Celtic-inspired instrumentation, delicate harmonies, and reflective lyrics abound on the sisterly indie-folk duo's debut album. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 26, 2023
Scottish harpist and singer Rachel Newton brings an innovative, intensely emotional touch to traditional music on this dreamy LP. Bandcamp New & Notable Nov 17, 2020
Bright and skipping songs that foreground the sound of the banjo and fingerstyle guitar in music that feels timeless. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 5, 2020
supported by 7 fans who also own “The Gaberlunzie Man/Mrs. MacLeod of Rassay”
Dystopia was my introduction to Talisk when the live version of it was out on youtube. Between the energy and life not just by the music itself, but the people playing it being so engrained into the songs themselves, Talisk has become a foot-stomper, and an absolute jam of a band to put on full volume. ladyoforion