HIGHLAND LADDIE.
As this was a favourite theme with our later Scottish muses, there are several airs and songs of that name. That which I take to be the oldest, is to be found in the “Musical Museum,” beginning, “I hae been at Crookieden.” One reason for my thinking so is, that Oswald has it in his collection, by the name of “The Auld Highland Laddie.” It is also known by the name of “Jinglan Johnie,” which is a well-known song of four or five stanzas, and seems to be an earlier song than Jacobite times. As a proof of this, it is little known to the peasantry by the name of “Highland Laddie;” while everybody knows “Jinglan Johnie.” The song begins
“Jinglan John, the meickle man,
He met wi’ a lass was blythe and bonie.”
Another “Highland Laddie” is also in the “Museum,” vol. v., which I take to be Ramsay’s original, as he has borrowed the chorus—“O my bonie Highland lad,” &c. It consists of three stanzas, besides the chorus; and has humour in its composition—it is an excellent, but somewhat licentious song.—It begins
“As I cam o’er Cairney mount,
And down among the blooming heather.”
This air, and the common “Highland Laddie,” seem only to be different sets.
Another “Highland Laddie,” also in the “Museum,” vol. v., is the tune of several Jacobite fragments. One of these old songs to it, only exists, as far as I know, in these four lines—
“Where hae ye been a’ day,
Bonie laddie, Highland laddie?
Down the back o’ Bell’s brae,
Courtin Maggie, courtin Maggie.”
Another of this name is Dr. Arne’s beautiful air, called the new “Highland Laddie.”