Backing track with added lyrics -
The song is also known as "Purple Heather" and "Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?". "The Braes of Balquhither" is an early 19th century song about the hills (braes) around Balquhidder near Lochearnhead, written by Scottish poet Robert Tannahill and Scottish composer Robert Archibald Smith.
In the 1950s the song was adapted by Belfast musician Francis McPeake into "Wild Mountain Thyme".
O the summer time has come
And the trees are sweetly blooming
And wild mountain thyme
Grows around the purple heather.
Will you go, lassie, go?
And we'll all go together,
To pull wild mountain thyme,
All around the purple heather.
Will you go, lassie, go?
With thanks to amc2919 for the Slideshare ‘First Flowers PPT’ that includes superb photos of Creeping Buttercup, Germander Speedwell, Bush Vetch, Herb Robert, Rough Bedstraw, Wild Thyme, Ramsons, Ginkgo, Snow in Summer, Common Boxwood, English Lawn Daisy, Ribwort Plantain, Hedge Bedstraw, Bladder Campion, Norway Spruce, Meadow Buttercup, Red Clover, Black Medick, Common Bugle, Hoary Plantain, Spiked Rampion, Field Scabious, Ox-
THE WILD MOUNTAIN THYME
More activities:
- Listen to video of Pennywill’s MIDI clarinet / flute version (below).
- Listen to Elspeth’s vocal with guitar.
- Hit play button below to follow ukulele score, tab & lyrics of ‘Wild Mountain Thyme – Traditional Scottish’ kindly provided to Musescore Community by UkeTrek.
- Listen to versions on youtube.
- Singalong with your favourite! Your teacher, yourself or another student could possibly be the accompanist, or use a track you discovered.