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Here Be Dragons co-curated by Cressida Cowell and Toothless - opens 13 July. Admission included with ticket to the Galleries

1001 Stories Collection

Wild Mountain Thyme

1001 wildmountain
Added on 01st October 2020

Oral tradition Folk song from Scotland

UK and Ireland Folk and fairy tales
1001

A traditional Scottish folk love song.

Story

A love song set among the purple heather and wild mountain thyme.

Why we chose it

A traditional Scottish folk song that has been recorded a number of times by modern folk singers

Where it came from

The song is based on the song, The Braes of Balquhither written by Scottish poet and composer Robert Tannahill and Robert Archibald Smith in the 18th century. The Braes of Balquhither may itself have been based on a traditional song The Braes O’Bowhether.

Tannahill and Archibald’s song was adapted by Irish musician Francis McPeake into Wild Mountain Thyme and first recorded by his family in the 1950s. It is also known as Purple Heather and Will You Go Lassie, Go? There is an Scottish country dance to the music.

Where it went next

It has been recorded by over 50 different artists since the 1950s.

Associated stories

Other popular Scottish folk songs include The Bluebells of Scotland, The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond, Kelvin Grove, Mairi’s Wedding, The Skye Boat Song, and Annie Laurie.

Added on 01st October 2020

Oral tradition Folk song from Scotland

UK and Ireland Folk and fairy tales
1001