Allan Water
Scottish Song - Anonymous
Allan Water (also known as A Lover In Captivity) is an anonymous Scottish song, probable date of publication 1701, described as A New Song - Sung with a pleasant New Air.Related Scottish Country Dances
The Banks Of AllenAllan Water By Matthew Gregory Lewis
Allan Water's wide and deep,
and my dear Anny's very bonny;
Wides the Straith that lyes above't,
if't were mine I'de give it all for Anny;
But why, O why should she disdain,
since my Heart's Love to her I carry
Tho I had a Thousand Hearts in one
unshar'd I'de give them all to Anny.
and my dear Anny's very bonny;
Wides the Straith that lyes above't,
if't were mine I'de give it all for Anny;
But why, O why should she disdain,
since my Heart's Love to her I carry
Tho I had a Thousand Hearts in one
unshar'd I'de give them all to Anny.
Her Countenance and her black Hair
first captiv'd me, and then like Thunder
She disappear'd and ruin'd me,
and my poor Heart's quite burnt to Tinder,
But why, O why should I disspair?
for sure the gods to pity will move her.
And send her this Heart of mine,
some cooling Balsom so deliver.
Dear Amy wilt thou look and see,
and sure I am thou'll take compassion
On this poor Heart that mourns for thee,
such love alas is out of fashion,
All Day I wish, all Night I sigh,
and still I hope to find her changed,
But ah, alas all is in vain,
for sure my Ruine is designed,
Allan Water, From The Word On The Street, Broadside Ballad Entitled 'Allan Water', c. 1701
Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original Broadside Ballad Entitled 'Allan Water' article on https://digital.nls.uk/broadsides, National Library of Scotland © 2004.
Image copyright (cropped) https://digital.nls.uk/broadsides/view/?id=14522 under this Creative Commons Licence 4.0.