Traditional Scottish Songs
- Songs of My Native Land



Carolina Oliphant (1766 - 1845) was born in the "Auld Hoose of Gask" in Perthshire. She came from a family that could trace its roots in that county back to the 13th century. Her father was a staunch supporter of the Jacobite cause and many of her most famous songs such as "Charlie is My Darling" and "100 Pipers" are an important part of the large library of Jacobite songs and poetry. She married WM Nairne, who later became Baron Nairne, so she is often referred to as Lady Nairne. Her original collection of songs were published with the signature BB - "Mrs Boagan of Bogan". Refined ladies didn't publish songs and poems in those days. She died at Gask in 1845.

Although Lady Nairne wrote many original songs, she also collected national airs and set them to appropriate words (following in the footsteps of Burns in that regard). So who better to write about the importance of "Songs of My Native Land"?


Songs of My Native Land

Songs of my native land,
   To me how dear!
Songs of my infancy,
   Sweet to mine ear!
Entwined with my youthful days,
   Wi' the bonny banks and braes,
Where the winding burnie strays
   Murmuring near.

Strains of thy native land,
   That thrill the soul,
Pouring the magic of
   Your soft control!
Often has your minstrelsy
   Soothed the pangs of misery,
Winging rapid thoughts away
   To realms on high.

Weary pilgrims there have rest,
   Their wand'rings o'er;
There the slave, no more oppress'd,
   Hails Freedom's shore.
Sin shall then no more deface,
   Sickness, pain, and sorrow cease,
Ending in eternal peace,
   And songs of joy!

There, when the seraphs sing,
   In cloudless day;
There, where the higher praise
   The ransom'd pay.
Soft strains of the happy land,
   Chanted by the heavenly band,
Who can fully understand
   How sweet ye be!

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