"Lord Randall," a Scottish traditional song, depicts the story of a man whose heart was shattered by his girlfriend, who also poisoned him. The song is structured in the style of a conversation between Lord Randall and his mother. Because it is composed in slant rhyme and progressive repetition, the poem is easy to recall. September 28, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2016. It is believed that "Lord Randall" originated as a lament for someone named "Randall", who was probably a young nobleman killed in battle. However, since the song has similarities with other songs, such as "The Bonnie Blue Flag", it is possible that it originally referred to another person or event. July 25, 1605. In 1723, James MacPherson published an anthology of poems by various authors under the title of "Bardism Triumphant". One of these poems, called "Lord Randall", caused considerable controversy because it included several obscene lines. In order to prove that its publication did not affect the popularity of poetry, MacPherson included "A Chorus from the Ile of Sky" by Robert Burns. This poem had been published earlier but had little impact at the time. May 2, 2016.