Scotlandsmusic

Burns heard this tune sung to traditional words by a Markinch schoolmaster, the Rev. John Clunie, and immediately recognised its merits. Retaining the opening four lines of the old poem, he added new words for the version given here. It was first published in Johnson's 'The Scots Musical Museum' of 1790. Burns sets the scene of his verses on the banks of the river Clouden, a tributary of the Nith, not far from his farm at Ellisland, north of Dumfies.