The Dark Tale of Bonnie 'Loch Lomond'
Pianist Leslie Howard tells the story of "Loch Lomond," a bonny song about a sad chapter in Scottish history. hide caption
Howard Performs 'Loch Lomond'
Lyrics to "Loch Lomond"
By yon bonnie banks, and by yon bonnie braes
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond
There me and my true love spent mony happy days
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.
Chorus
Oh, ye'll tak' the high road, and I'll tak' the low road
And I'll be in Scotland before ye
But trouble it is there, and mony hearts are sair
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.
Verse Two
'Twas there that we parted in yon bonnie glen
On the steep, steep side o' Ben Lomond
Where in purple hue the Highland hills we view
And the moon glints out in the gloamin'.
Verse Three
There the wild flowers spring and the wee birdies sing
And in sunshine the waters are sleepin'
But the broken heart it kens nae second spring again
Though resigned we may be while we're greetin'.
"You take the high road and I'll take the low road..." We can all sing along to "Loch Lomond," the old Scottish tune. But for the series "What's in a Song," pianist Leslie Howard notes that the seemingly innocent tune was actually inspired by a dark chapter in Scottish history.
The What's in a Song series is produced by Taki Telonidis and Hal Cannon.