Ae Fond Kiss (song)

The Scots song "Ae fond kiss and then we sever" by the Scottish poet Robert Burns is more commonly known as "Ae fond kiss". It is Burns's most recorded love song.

History

Grave of "Clarinda" in Canongate Kirkyard

After the publication of his collected poems, the Kilmarnock volume, Burns regularly travelled and stayed at Edinburgh. While there he established a platonic relationship with Mrs Agnes Maclehose and they began a regular correspondence using the pseudonyms "Clarinda" and "Sylvander". Burns wrote "Ae fond kiss" after their final meeting and sent it to Maclehose on 27 December 1791 before she departed Edinburgh for Jamaica to be with her estranged husband.[1][2]

The letter[2] is held by National Library of Scotland as part of the Watson Autograph collection of manuscripts.[3]

Burns's original setting of three verses in eight lines was set to the tune of "Rory Dall's Port". The musical score[4] was published in the collection of Scottish folks songs known as the Scots Musical Museum. (The melody playable on the link here is not "Rory Dall's Port", but perhaps is now more associated with the words than the original.)

Lyrics

The first line on a memorial plaque

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 cheerfu' twinkle lights me,

Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy;

Naething could resist my Nancy;

For to see her was to love her,

Love but her, and love for ever.

Had we never loved sae kindly,

Had we never loved 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!

Glossary

• ae (pronounced [eː] AY or [jeː] YAY)[5][6] = adj only; sole. art a.[7]
• ilka = adj every.[7]
• sae = adv|conj so.[7]

Recordings

• Steve Harley – on Uncovered (2020)[8]
• Fairground Attraction – on Ay Fond Kiss (1990)

References

1. Gray, Pauline; O'Rourke, Danny. "Ae Fond Kiss". BBC. BBC. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
2. "Robert Burns: 1759–1796: Ae fond kiss". National Library of Scotland (facsimile of manuscript). 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
3. "The Watson Autograph collections: MSS 586-587". National Library of Scotland. 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
4. "Rory Dall's Port" (digital facsimile). National Library of Scotland.
5. "Dictionaries of the Scots Language:: SND :: Ae".
6. Kennedy-Fraser, Marjory. "Pronunciation in Lowland Scots Song". Рипол Классик. Retrieved 12 December 2022 – via Google Books.
7. Scot-English English-Scots Dictionary. New Lanark ML: Lomond Books. 1998. pp. 256. ISBN 0947782265.
8. "Uncovered - Steve Harley | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.