By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomon'.
where me and my true love were ever wont to gae
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'.

Chorus:

  O ye'll tak' the high road and I'll tak the low road,
  An' I'll be in Scotland afore ye;
  But me and my true love will never meet again
  On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'.

'Twas there that we parted in yon shady glen,
On the steep, steep side o' Ben Lomon',
Where in purple hue the Hieland hills we view,
An' the moon comin' out in the gloamin'.

(chorus)

The wee birdies sing and the wild flow'rs spring,
And in sunshine the waters are sleepin';
But the broken heart it kens nae second spring,
Tho' the waefu' may cease frae their greetin'

(chorus)



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The song was apparently written by a young soldier to his sweetheart. Two
of Bonnie Prince Charlies soldiers were captured in Carlisle after the
abortive rising of 1745. One wrote the song, the other was released and
took it back to Scotland to give to his colleagues sweetheart. The low road
refers to the soldiers impending death and the path of his spirit, whilst
the high road is either the sign of hope for which he sacrificed his life,
or the actual road back to Scotland over the high rugged hills.
Hence, his spirit would return via the low road and be back in Scotland
first.
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