Jamie Raeburn's Farewell - Traditional Scottish
Recorded by Linda Dewar on “Where The Heart Is” track#3 http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lindadewar
My name is Jamie Raeburn, in Glasgow I was born /DD/DD/EmA7/DD/
My place of habitation I'm forced to leave with scorn /GG/DD/EmEm/A7A7/
From my place of habitation, I nu must gang awa' /GG/DD/EmEm/A7A7/
Far frae the bonnie hills and dales of Caledonia /EmEm/DD/A7A7/DD/
T’was early on one morning, aroon the break of day
We overheard the turnkey, who unto us did say
Arise you hapless convicts, arise ye ain and a'
This is the day you are to stray from Caledonia
We all arose, put on our clothes, our hearts were filled with grief
Our friends all gathered round the coach, could grant us nae relief
Our parents, wives and sweethearts, their hearts were broke in twa
To see us leave the hills and dales of Caledonia
Farewell my dearest mother, I'm vexed for what I've done
I hope none shall cast up to you the race that I have run
I hope God will protect you when I am far awa'
Far frae the bonnie hills and dales of Caledonia
Farewell, my honest father, you were the best of men
And likewise my own sweetheart, it's Catherine is her name
No more we'll walk by Clyde's clear stream or by the Broomielaw
For I must leave the hills and dales of Caledonia
From a broadside ballad probable period of publication: 1880-1900
This is one of the best known of the countless songs written about transportation. Jamie Raeburn is reputed to have been a baker in Glasgow, sentenced for petty theft, of which, in popular imagination at any rate, he was innocent. The sentence of transportation was abandoned in the 1850s.