Up In The Morning Early
Scottish Song By Robert Burns
Up In The Morning Early (also known as Cold And Raw) is one of the oldest of our Scottish airs.An early version was published by Playford in his English Dancing Master (1651) originally titled Stingo, or Oyle of Barley. In 1690 the name was changed to Cold And Raw.
The name of the old poet, who originally had the boldness to avow publicly his dislike of early rising, has sadly not come down to posterity, but thankfully Robert Burns and slightly later John Hamilton penned their versions for posterity.
John Hilton, in 1652, published the tune as the third voice to what is called a "Northern Catch" for three voices, beginning, "I'se gae with thee, my sweet Peggy."
Later on, from an anecdote given in Sir John Hawkins' History of Music, it appears to have been a favourite of Queen Mary's, the consort of William III., and Purcell, the distinguished composer, adapted the bass part for the birth-day song on the queen for the year 1692, beginning, "May her bright example chase, Vice in troops out of the land."
John Gay adopts the tune for one of his songs in the Beggar's Opera, a ballad opera in three acts written in 1728. From the opening words of the old song, "Cold and raw the wind does blaw, Up in the morning early,"
Inevitably for such an old work, many different versions may be found, with many similar titles. (Also see Cold And Raw)
Below we offer the two most popular versions, the first from 1788 by Robert Burns who surely needs no further introduction here.
The second version given by John Hamilton, a music-seller in the North Bridge, Edinburgh, who died in 1814 in his fifty-third year.
The Scots Magazine describes him as "late music-seller in this city, author of many favourite Scots songs, and composer of several melodies of considerable merit." Hamilton contributed to Johnson's "Museum," and Scott acknowledges him as a helper in the "Border Minstrelsy".
In his version of 'Up In The Mornin' Early' Hamilton succeeded, where Burns failed, in constructing upon an old basis, a humorous and tuneful, modern Scottish song.
Related Scottish Country Dances
Up In The Morning EarlyCold And Raw
Up In The Morning Early By Robert Burns
the drift is driving fairly;
Sae loud and shrill's I hear the blast,
I'm sure it's winter fairly.
Chorus
Up in the morning's no for me,
up in the morning early;
When a' the hills are cover'd wi' snaw,
I'm sure it's winter fairly.
The birds sit chittering in the thorn,
a' day they fare but sparely;
And lang's the night frae e'en to morn,
I'm sure it's winter fairly.
Chorus
Up In The Morning Early By John Hamilton
The drift is drifting sairly;
The sheep are cowrin' in the heuch :
O! sirs, it's winter fairly.
Now up in the mornin's no for me,
Up in the mornin' early;
I'd rather gae supperless to my bed,
Than rise in the morning early.
Loud roars the blast amang the woods,
And tirls the branches barely;
On hill and house hear how it thuds!
The frost is nipping sairly.
Now up in the mornin's no for me,
Up in the mornin' early,
To sit a' nicht wad better agree,
Than rise in the mornin' early.
The sun peeps owre yon southland hills,
Like ony timorous carlie,
Just blinks a wee, then sinks again;
And that we find severely.
Now up in the mornin's no for me,
Up in the mornin' early;
When snaw blaws in at the chimley cheek,
Wha'd rise in the mornin' early?
Nae linties lilt on hedge or bush:
Poor things, they suffer sairly;
In cauldrife quarters a' the nicht;
A' day they feed but sparely.
Now up in the mornin's no for me,
Up in the mornin' early;
A pennyless purse I wad rather dree
Than rise in the mornin' early.
A cosie house and canty wife,
Aye keep a body cheerly;
And pantries stowed wi' meat and drink,
They answer unco rarely.
But up in the morning-na, na, na!
Up in the mornin' early!
The gowans maun glent on bank and brae,
When I rise in the mornin' early.
Up In The Morning Early Song Video
Up In The Morning Early Song - Information Video
Up In The Morning Early - The Glen Collection Of Printed Music, Songs Of Robert Burns, Page 301
The Online Scots Dictionary Translate Scots To English.
Published in https://www.robertburns.org/works/up-in-the-morning-early/
Published in http://www.robertburnsfederation.com/poems/translations/605.htm (with translation).
Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original The Book of Scottish Song/Up in the morning early article on Wikisource.
Image copyright (cropped) https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/91263926 under this Creative Commons Licence 4.0.