Jump to content

It isnae me

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"It isnae me" is a poem by Sally Holmes which was set to music by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1930.[1]

The poem was first printed in Country Life magazine, and the song published in 1931 by Keith Prowse & Co. Ltd, London.

It was written at Elgar's home, "Marl Bank", near Worcester, and was dedicated to the soprano Joan Elwes,[2] whom he had admired at Three Choirs Festival.[3] The poem was performed by her in October 1930 at a concert in Dumfries, Scotland.

The poem is in the Scots language.

Lyrics

[edit]

It isnae me that's keerin'—or no' an awfu' lot,
But—it's sair, whiles, mindin' things ye thocht ye had forgot.
An' when wee Tam the Fiddler played 'The Lea Rig'[4] doon the street,
I gie'd masel' a shock tae find that I wis near tae greet.

It isnae me that's keerin'—or no' for vera lang,
But—there's mony happy times awa' since last I heard yon sang.
An' someway—Och, I dinnae ken! I cannae say things richt—
I wish young Tam the Fiddler hadnae played yon sang last nicht.

Scots translations

[edit]
  • keerin' = grieving, complaining
  • sair = sad
  • whiles = meanwhile
  • mindin' = remembering
  • wee = little, young
  • lea rig = meadow-ridge
  • gie'd masel' = gave myself
  • greet = cry
  • awa' = ago
  • dinnae ken = don't know

Recordings

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Kennedy, Michael (1968). Portrait of Elgar. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-315414-5.
  2. ^ York Symphony Orchestra People. "Photograph of Joan Elwes".[dead link]
  3. ^ Martin Bird, The Elgar Society Journal, Vol.19 No.6 - December 2016
  4. ^ "'The Lea-Rig' by Robert Burns". Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2008.
[edit]