Loch Lomond

1. By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond.
Where me and my true love were ever wont to gae
On the bonnie, bonnie banks O' Loch Lomond.

Refrain:
O ye'll tak' the high road and I'll tak' the low road,
An' I'll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks O' Loch Lomond.

2. 'Twas there that we parted in yon shady glen,
On the steep, steep side O' Ben Lomon',
Where in purple hue the Hieland hills we view,
An' the moon comin' out in the gloamin'
Refrain:

3. The wee birdies sing and the wild flow'rs spring,
And in sunshine the waters are sleepin';
But the broken heart it kens nae second spring,
Tho' the waefu' may cease frae their greetin'.
Refrain:
Tr. Frank 2001 Dort an dem Ufer, am fröhlichen Hang,
Wo die Sonne scheint hell auf Loch Lomond,
Wo ich, mit der Liebsten, macht' manchen frohen Gang,
An dem schönen, schönen Hang bei Loch Lomond.

Refrain:
O, nehm du den Bergweg und ich geh zunieder,
Und ich werd' in Schottland vor dir sein,
Doch ich und mein Schatz sehen uns nie wieder
An dem schönen, schönen Hang bei Loch Lomond.

Er war dort, unser Abschied, im schattigen Tal
Dort am steilen Hang von Ben Lomond,
Wo purpur die Berge wir sahen noch einmal
In dem Abendrot unter'm Vollmond.
Refrain:

Die Vögelein die singen uns ihr' süße Lieder
Die Wasser, die schlaf'n unter Sonne
Aber Herzleid erlebt Frühling nie wieder
Und die Betrübtheit kennt keine Wonne.
Refrain:

One of several legends has it, that this song is about two of Bonnie Prince Charlie's men, captured and left behind in Carlisle after the failed rising of 1745. The song appears to be written by one young soldier to his sweetheart. He was to be executed, the other released. The Spirit of the dead soldier traveling by the 'low road' would reach Scotland before his comrade, struggling along the actual road over high, rugged country.

1. O whither away, my bonnie May,
Sae late and sae dark in the gloamin'?
The mist gathers gray o'er moorland and brae.
O whither sae far are ye roamin'?

I trysted my ain love last night in the broom,
My Donald wha loves me sae dearly.
For the morrow he will march for Edinburgh toon,
Tae fecht for his king and Prince Charlie.

Chorus:
O, ye'll tak' the high road and I'll tak' the low road,
An' I'll be in Scotland afore ye.
For me and my true love will never meet again
By the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.

2. O braw Charlie Stewart, dear true, true heart,
Wha could refuse thee protection?
Like the weeping birk on the wild hillside,
How gracefu' he looked in dejection.

O, weel may I weep for yestre'en in my sleep.
We lay bride and bridegroom together.
But his touch and his breath were cold as the death,
And his hairtsblood ran red in the heather.
Chorus:

3. As dauntless in battle as tender in love,
He'd yield ne'er a foot tae the foeman.
But never again frae the fields o' the slain
Tae his Moira will he come by Loch Lomond.

The thistle may bloom, the king hae his ain,
And fond lovers will meet in the gloamin'.
And me and my true love will yet meet again
Far above the bonnie banks o Loch Lomond.
Chorus: