Surprisingly, over the years we have done very few songs from the pen of Robert Tannahill, so here's one more to add to that short list. The Braes o' Balquhidder (pronounced 'Balwhither') appeared twice in R. A. Smith's "Scottish Minstrel" (1821 - 1824) - Vol. I, p. 49 and Vol. IV, p. 89. The latter air is a modification of the first and is called 'The Three Carls o' Buchanan'. Fittingly enough, we've left this one to Les, the last Paisley "Buddy" in the group.
Let us go, lassie, go Tae the braes o' Balquhidder Whar the blueberries grow 'Mang the bonnie Hielan' heather Whar the deer and the rae Lichtly bounding thegither Sport the lang summer day On the braes o' Balquhidder I will twin thee a bow'r By the clear silver fountain And I'll cover it o'er Wi' the flooers o' the mountain I will range through the wilds And the deep glens sae dreary And return wi' their spoils Tae the bow'r o' my dearie When the rude wintry win' Idly raves roun' oor dwellin' And the roar o' the linn On the nicht breeze is swellin' So merrily we'll sing As the storm rattles o'er us Till the dear shielin' ring Wi' the licht liltin' chorus Noo the summers in prime Wi' the flooers richly bloomin' Wi' the wild mountain thyme A' the moorlan's perfumin' Tae oor dear native scenes Let us journey thegither Whar glad innocence reigns 'Mang the braes o' Balquhidder