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The Milking Song

from This Fleeting Liberty by Alan Dickson

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about

A song of the Celtic Revival movement, which helped to renew interest in aspects of Celtic culture, pioneered in particular in Scotland by Patrick Geddes. Many tales say that the Scottish saint Bride is the other face of the Cailleach, who marks the return of the light, whose special day is February 1st.

lyrics

O St Bride of the yellow hair
Paul said, and St Peter said,
And all the saints alive or dead
Vowed she had the sweetest head,
Bonnie, sweet St Bride of the yellow, yellow hair.

White may my milking be, white as thee;
Thy face is white, thy neck is white,
Thy hands are white, thy feet are white,
For thy sweet soul is shining bright
Bonnie, sweet St Bride of the yellow, yellow hair.

Yellow may my butter be, soft, and round;
Thy breasts are sweet, soft and round
So may my butter be O so sweet
Safe thy way is safe St Bride
Bonnie, sweet St Bride of the yellow, yellow hair.

May my kye come home at even,
None be fallin' none be leavin',
Dusky even, breath-sweet even,
Keepest tryst with God in heaven
Bonnie, sweet St Bride of the yellow, yellow hair.

And souls be shriven here as there
'Tis breath-sweet even far and wide
Sings thy maid in thy shade
O dear to me St Bridget, Bride
Bonnie, sweet St Bride of the yellow, yellow hair.

credits

from This Fleeting Liberty, released May 9, 2017
Written by Fiona MacLeod (aka William Sharp), and published in Lyra Celtica, 1896. Tune composed by Alan Dickson.

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Alan Dickson Glasgow, UK

Scottish singer songwriter Alan Dickson was born in Leith but now based in Glasgow. Alan writes about life in Scotland and beyond, mainly of a personal and political nature.

Descended from a Leith docker, he remarks: "as life mimics art I'm just like my grandfather, only he used a rivet gun and I use a guitar."

Among his influences are Robert Burns, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan and Dick Gaughan. ... more

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