James Brown - Herding Lambs Among the Heather

Lyrics as transcribed from this recording:

 Twas up yon steep and lonely glen,
And over many s the lofty mountain,
But its steeper glens and rocky dales
Where many s the day I went a-hunting.

One day as I went out a-hunting,
It was there I planned my roving fancy,
Down by the birl herd of herding lambs,
 Twas there I espied my lovely Nancy.

Her gown it was all striped with green,
Her cloak it was the very color,
And its in between the stripes were seen,
The bell of the blooming heather.

 Good day , said I my bonny lass ,
 What brings you here amongst the heather?
 My Father he is away from home,
And I must keep his lambs together.

I says My dear, if you ll be mine,
And just forsake your Father,
In silks and scarlet you will shine,
And be the flower amongst the heather

 Your offer s good sir, I cannot deny
But to me you re but a stranger.
Perhaps you are some rich man's son,
And I but a poor shepherd's daughter.

 I am my father s heir indeed,
and you are here to check my fancy,
but all his lands I would resign,
and go herd lambs with lovely Nancy.

I have been to balls and masquerade,
I ve been to London and Bellheather,
but the bonniest lassie that e er I spied,
was herding lambs amongst the heather.

Here's farewell to balls and masquerades,
My love she s neither proud nor giddy,
She's fairer far than heather bells,
or any saucy painted lady.

So, down by the Clyde where streams do glide,
This couple they were joined together,
and if often times that she blessed the hour,
that she herded lambs amongst the heather.
This song is sung a cappella.

This song appears elsewhere in the Manny collection as (015-03) and (057-12).

In Manny's published version of the song (which was transcribed from this recording) she writes (stanza four) the dames they tried my bonny lass but the singer actually sings Good day, said I, my bonny lass . Similarly the singer sings check my fancy (stanza 7) rather than, as Manny writes, take my fancy . Ives published version has the correct versions of the above lines as well.
1958

Joe Offer on Mudcat.org points us to Ives' notes about the song which are interesting:

Source: *Folksongs of New Brunswick*, by Edward D. "Sandy" Ives (1989, Goose Lane Editions), pages 115-117
Singer: James Brown, 1988

Here's what Ives says about the song:

**Herding Lambs Among The Heather**
Jim claimed he learned this song at home in South Branch from a friend named Jimmy Martin, and it is the most puzzling song in his repertoire for several reasons. First, while its scale is basically mixolydian, the third and sixth degrees are very weak, occurring only rarely—and then in unaccented or passing positions. That particular "gapping" is unusual in the tunes of the area. Second, it is the only song I ever heard Jim sing in which he didn't punch out the meter with his voice but instead let it run in a rough *rubato parlando* rhythm. Third, I have never found another singer who had even heard of it, nor have I found it in any earlier collections from Maine or the Maritimes. On the other hand, I have found it in Scottish collections, and, while songs of clearly Scottish provenance are to be found in the Maritimes, they are not at all common, the base-line repertoire being rather solidly Anglo-Irish. In other words, "Herding Lambs" not only seems different, it is different. Not that that difference makes it any less a fine song; if anything, it contributes to its distinction.

This song appears in Louise Manny and James Reginald Wilson eds. Songs of Miramichi Brunswick Press Fredericton, N.B. pg. 248. The song also appears in Edward Ives ed. Folksongs of New Brunswick Goose Lane Editions Ltd., Fredericton pg. 116.

007-03