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Wild Mountain Thyme

by Roary Skaista

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about

When asked to contribute to a virtual Burns Night Celebration during the pandemic in January 2021, I chose to arrange and record one of my favourite Scottish folk songs, Wild Mountain Thyme.

It was only upon researching the song once I'd recorded it that I realised that Wild Mountain Thyme is not as traditional nor as Scottish as I had thought it was! The original song it is based on is indeed a Scottish song published in 1822 under the name "The Braes of Balquhither", with lyrics by Scottish poet Robert Tannahill and melody by Scottish composer Robert Archibald Smith, although their version is likely based on an older folk song still. This was then adapted into the popular Wild Mountain Thyme by an Irish musician, Francis McPeake, whose nephew of the same name first recorded it in 1957.

I decided in my arrangement of the piece to keep the verses plain and pure, whilst adding further voices with each chorus, building up to a full four part harmony for the last chorus.

lyrics

The Summer time has come,
And the trees are sweetly blooming,
And the wild mountain thyme
Grows around the blooming heather.

Will ye go, lassie, go?
And we'll all go together
To pull wild mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather;
Will ye go, lassie, go?

I will build my love a bower
By yon clear crystal fountain,
And upon it I will plant
All the flowers of the mountain.

Will ye go, lassie, go?
And we'll all go together
To pull wild mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather;
Will ye go, lassie, go?

I will build my love a shelter
On yon high mountain green,
And my love shall be the fairest
That the Summer sun has seen.

Will ye go, lassie, go?
And we'll all go together
To pull wild mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather;
Will ye go, lassie, go?

If my true love she won't come,
I will surely find another
To pull wild mountain mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather.

Will ye go, lassie, go?
And we'll all go together
To pull wild mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather;
Will ye go, lassie, go?

credits

released January 25, 2021
See above for description of the origins of this song
Arrangement by Roary Skaista and Cameron Alsop
Recorded and mixed by Cameron Alsop
Artwork by thetinkid

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Roary Skaista UK

Roary Skaista is a queer folk musician based in Oxford, performing traditional folk songs as well as their own material on the themes of love, nature and diversity.

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