Griogal Cridhe (Marion Campbell, 1570)
Beloved Gregor was a Scottish tune I learned from Jo Morrison's Beginning Harper's Tunebook. The song was composed by Gregor's wife lamenting her husband's execution by the British.
Robert Burns collected Ca' the Yowes ("cows"), which is both a lullaby and love song. There are many ways of writing the Scots dialect, but this version seemed to be the most standard. Connie McKenna, the singer in my Irish trio Ceoltóirí, loved singing these verses when her son was young.
Lyrics
Ghaist nor bogle shalt thou fear, Thou'rt to Love and Heav-n sae dear,
Nocht of may come thee near; My bonie Dearie.
Fair and lovely as thou art, Thou has stown my very heart,
I can die- but canna part, My bonnie dearie.