"Ae Fond Kiss" - Folklore - St Albans Folk Festival
Channel: Chris Maltby
Date: 2013-04-29

Robert Burns love poem, written in a letter to Agnes M'Lehose, or 'Clarinda', (also known as 'Nancy' to her friends) in December 1791, when she left Burns, and Scotland, to follow her husband to Jamaica to try to save her marriage.

Performed by Sydney band "Folklore" at the 2013 St Albans Folk Festival. Sung by Anthony Woolcott, with Rose McDonald, Guitar, Cliona Molins, Harp and Fiona McVicar, Fiddle.

Ae Fond Kiss

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever; 
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever! 
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee, 
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee. 
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him, 
While the star of hope she leaves him? 
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me; 
Dark despair around benights me. 

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy, 
Naething could resist my Nancy: 
But to see her was to love her; 
Love but her, and love for ever. 
Had we never lov'd sae kindly, 
Had we never lov'd sae blindly, 
Never met -- or never parted, 
We had ne'er been broken-hearted. 

Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest! 
Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest! 
Thine be ilka joy and treasure, 
Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure! 
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever! 
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever! 
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee, 
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.