Tweet
CAPT. CHARLES GRAY
Charles Gray was the author of two small lyrical volumes which won for him
a considerable reputation as a poet. He was born at Anstruther-Wester, on the 10th of March, 1782, and when twenty-three years of age secured a commission in the Woolwich division of the Royal Marines, from which he was retired on a captain's full pay in 1841 . An ardent admirer of the Scottish muse, he contributed at one time to the Glasgow Citizen, a series of papers entitled, "Cursory remarks on Scottish Song," and to this source subsequent writers on the same subject have acknowledged their many obligations for information unobtainable elsewhere. He died on the 13th of April, 1851.
GRIM WINTER WAS HOWLIN'
by
CAPT. CHARLES GRAY
Grim winter was howlin' owre muir and owre mountain,
And bleak blew the wind on the wild stormy sea;
The cauld frost had lock'd up each riv'let and fountain,
As I took the dreich road that leads north to Dundee.
Though a' round was dreary, my heart was fu' cheerie.
And cantie I sung as the bird on the tree;
For when the heart's light, the feet winna soon weary,
Though ane should gang further than bonnie Dundee!
Arrived at the banks o' sweet Tay's flowin' river,
I look'd as it rapidly row'd to the sea;
And fancy, whose fond dream still pleases me ever,
Beguiled the lone passage to bonnie Dundee!
There glowrin' about, I saw in his station
Ilk bodie as eydent as midsummer bee;
When fair stood a mark, on the face o' creation.
The lovely young Peggy, the pride o' Dundee!
O! aye since the time I first saw this sweet lassie,
I'm listless, I'm restless, wherever I be;
I'm dowie, and donnart, and aften ca'd saucy;
They kenna its a' for the lass o' Dundee !
O! lang may her guardians be virtue and honour;
Though anither may wed her, yet well may she be;
And blessin's in plenty be shower'd down upon her—
The lovely young Peggy, the pride o' Dundee!
************************************************** *********
The Road An' The Miles Tae Dundee
The Sydney Devine Version of the lyrics
Cauld winter was howlin' o'er moor an' o'er mountain,
An' wild was the surge of the dark rolling sea,
When just about daybreak I met a young lassie,
Wha asked me the road an' the miles tae Dundee.
Said I, "My young lassie, I canna weel tell ye
The road or the distance I canna weel gie.
But if ye'll permit me tae gang a wee bittie,
I'll show ye the road an' the miles tae Dundee".
At once she consented an' gave me her arm,
Ne'er a word did I speir wha that lassie might be,
She appeared like an angel in feature an' form,
As she walked by my side on the road tae Dundee.
I took the gold pin from the scarf I was wearing
An' said "Carry this in remembrance o' me
Then bravely I kissed the sweet lips o' that lassie,
E'er I parted wi' her on the road tae Dundee.
So here's tae that lassie, I ne'er can forget her,
An' ilka young laddie wha's list'nin' tae me,
O never be sweer tae convoy a young lassie
Though it's only tae show her the road tae Dundee.
From Jinky Jock in Cyprus
Charles Gray was the author of two small lyrical volumes which won for him
a considerable reputation as a poet. He was born at Anstruther-Wester, on the 10th of March, 1782, and when twenty-three years of age secured a commission in the Woolwich division of the Royal Marines, from which he was retired on a captain's full pay in 1841 . An ardent admirer of the Scottish muse, he contributed at one time to the Glasgow Citizen, a series of papers entitled, "Cursory remarks on Scottish Song," and to this source subsequent writers on the same subject have acknowledged their many obligations for information unobtainable elsewhere. He died on the 13th of April, 1851.
GRIM WINTER WAS HOWLIN'
by
CAPT. CHARLES GRAY
Grim winter was howlin' owre muir and owre mountain,
And bleak blew the wind on the wild stormy sea;
The cauld frost had lock'd up each riv'let and fountain,
As I took the dreich road that leads north to Dundee.
Though a' round was dreary, my heart was fu' cheerie.
And cantie I sung as the bird on the tree;
For when the heart's light, the feet winna soon weary,
Though ane should gang further than bonnie Dundee!
Arrived at the banks o' sweet Tay's flowin' river,
I look'd as it rapidly row'd to the sea;
And fancy, whose fond dream still pleases me ever,
Beguiled the lone passage to bonnie Dundee!
There glowrin' about, I saw in his station
Ilk bodie as eydent as midsummer bee;
When fair stood a mark, on the face o' creation.
The lovely young Peggy, the pride o' Dundee!
O! aye since the time I first saw this sweet lassie,
I'm listless, I'm restless, wherever I be;
I'm dowie, and donnart, and aften ca'd saucy;
They kenna its a' for the lass o' Dundee !
O! lang may her guardians be virtue and honour;
Though anither may wed her, yet well may she be;
And blessin's in plenty be shower'd down upon her—
The lovely young Peggy, the pride o' Dundee!
************************************************** *********
The Road An' The Miles Tae Dundee
The Sydney Devine Version of the lyrics
Cauld winter was howlin' o'er moor an' o'er mountain,
An' wild was the surge of the dark rolling sea,
When just about daybreak I met a young lassie,
Wha asked me the road an' the miles tae Dundee.
Said I, "My young lassie, I canna weel tell ye
The road or the distance I canna weel gie.
But if ye'll permit me tae gang a wee bittie,
I'll show ye the road an' the miles tae Dundee".
At once she consented an' gave me her arm,
Ne'er a word did I speir wha that lassie might be,
She appeared like an angel in feature an' form,
As she walked by my side on the road tae Dundee.
I took the gold pin from the scarf I was wearing
An' said "Carry this in remembrance o' me
Then bravely I kissed the sweet lips o' that lassie,
E'er I parted wi' her on the road tae Dundee.
So here's tae that lassie, I ne'er can forget her,
An' ilka young laddie wha's list'nin' tae me,
O never be sweer tae convoy a young lassie
Though it's only tae show her the road tae Dundee.
From Jinky Jock in Cyprus