> June Tabor > Songs > The Rigs of Rye

The Rigs of Rye

[ Roud 985 ; Laws O11 ; Ballad Index LO11 ; trad.]

This beautiful love song has long been popular with thirty-five versions in the Greig-Duncan collection. The earliest record of the song may be a chapbook with the title Ridges of Rye printed in Glasgow by J. & M. Robertson in 1799.

The Clutha sang The Rigs o' Rye in 1974 on their Topic album Scots Ballads, Songs & Dance Tunes.

Dick Gaughan sang Rigs o' Rye in 1977 on his Trailer album Kist o' Gold.

Robin Dransfield sang The Rigs o' Rye in 1980 on his Topic album Tidewave. A live recording from the Medway Folk Centre, November 14, 1972 was included as bonus track on the album's CD reissue.

A recording of Fred Jordan singing The Rigs of Rye made by Dave Bryant in 1978 or 1979 was included on his Veteran anthology A Shropshire Lad.

June Tabor sang The Rigs of Rye on her 2007 Topic CD Apples. She commented in her sleeve notes:

Like the broken token ballad (e.g. The Plains of Waterloo), the classic Scottish love song The Rigs of Rye, in which a girl's resolve and loyalty are put to the test, shows at least a belief in the power of true love, whatever the reality might have been.

Jim Taylor sang Rigs o' Rye live at the the Fife Traditional Singing Festival, Collessie, Fife in May 2009. This recording was included in 2010 on the festival CD There's Bound to Be a Row (Old Songs & Bothy Ballads Vol. 6).

Lyrics

June Tabor sings The Rigs of Rye

'Twas in the month of sweet July,
Before the sun had pierced the sky;
Down between two rigs of rye
I heard two lovers talking.

Said he, “Lassie, I must away,
Along with you I cannot stay,
But I've a word or two to say
If you've the time to listen.”

“Of your father he takes great care,
Your mother combs your yellow hair;
But your sisters say you'll get no share
If you follow me, a stranger.”

“My father may fret and my mother may frown,
My sisters too I do disown;
If they were all dead and below the ground
I would follow you, a stranger.”

“Oh lassie, lassie, your portion's small,
Perhaps it may be none at all.
You're not a match for me at all
So go and wed with some other.”

The lassie's courage began to fail,
Her rosy cheeks grew wan and pale;
And the tears come trickling down like hail,
Or a heavy shower in the summer.

This lad he being of courage fine,
He's dried her tears and he's kissed her eyes,
Saying, “Weep no more lass, you shall be mine,
I said it all to try you.”

This couple they are married now,
And they have bairnies one and two;
And they live in Brechin the winter through,
Aye, and in Montrose in summer.