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Binnorie

from Haunting by Christina Stewart

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about

A Scots ballad of love, jealousy, sororicide and vengeance from the afterlife. This song is paired with the story track, "The Brist-Bane Harp" from Iain Campbell. I learned it from Janice Clark while she was leading A' Seinn Quines women's singing group. It was a terrific experience learning from her and singing with the other women. This song has various versions and names, notably Old Blind Dog's 'The Cruel Sister' and Ewan MacColl's 'Minorie'. You can find it in Wikipedia under 'The Twa Sisters'.

lyrics

Twa bonnie sisters lived in a bower
Binnorie, o Binnorie
And there cam a nicht tae be their wooer
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

He’s courted ane wi glove and ring
Binnorie, o Binnorie
But he’s loved the youngest aboon a thing
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

“O sister, sister, tak my hand”
Binnorie, o Binnorie
“And we’ll watch oor faither’s ships come in tae land”
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

The youngest sister stood on a stane
Binnorie, o Binnorie
And the eldest pushed her intae the brim
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

“O sister, sister, reach me your hand”
Binnorie, o Binnorie
“And ye’ll be the lady o’er half my land”
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

“O I’ll nae reach to ye my hand”
Binnorie, o Binnorie
“And I’ll be the lady o’er a yer land”
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

“O sister, sister, reach me your glove”
Binnorie, o Binnorie
“And sweet William shall be your love”
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

“O I’ll nae reach to ye my glove”
Binnorie, o Binnorie
“And sweet William shall be my love”
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

“It wasnae for that that I danged ye in”
Binnorie, o Binnorie
“But ye wis fair and I wis din”
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam
Binnorie, o Binnorie
Until she cam tae the miller’s dam
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie


The miller’s son cam by the dam
Binnorie, o Binnorie
Sayin there’s either a maid or a milk white swan
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

The miller he drew in the dam
Binnorie, o Binnorie
And it’s there they found the drowned woman
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

They couldna see her middle sae sma
Binnorie, o Binnorie
Her gowden girtle was girt sae braw
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

They couldna see her lang yellow hair
Binnorie, o Binnorie
For the strings o pearls entwined there
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

They made a harp o her briest bane
Binnorie, o Binnorie
Wha’s notes would have melted a heart o stane
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

The first tune that they played thereon
Binnorie, o Binnorie
Was “woe tae ma sister, the faus Helen”
By the bonnie mill dams o Binnorie

credits

from Haunting, released October 31, 2011
Lead vocal: Christina Stewart
Additional vocal: Alpin Stewart
Guitar: Martin MacDonald

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about

Christina Stewart image

Christina Stewart Scotland, UK

A voice described as the aural equivalent of ‘sweet, organic honey drizzling slowly from a honey wand’ in Dirty Linen magazine. Christina is a singer, teacher, tradition bearer and musical explorer, singing in Gaelic, Scots and English. She belongs to Inverness, the Highland capital, where the Gaelic and Scots heritages of the north of Scotland meet. ... more

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