Bogie's Bonnie Belle
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1952.34.A6
Original Tape ID
Summary
In this popular ballad, a farm worker is hired by "Bogie" to work on his farm, driving his horses. He has a relationship with Bogie's daughter Isabelle, who bears him a son. When the young man offers to marry her, Bogie refuses, saying he is not her match [the young man is dismissed]. Isabelle instead marries a tinsmith and goes off with him. The singer ends by reminding us that although Belle is now married, it was he that took her maidenhead.
Item Notes
10 verses of 4 lines.
Peter Hall (Greig-Duncan vol. 7 p. 518) has identified Isabel Morison (b. 20th September 1823 at Boghead Farm, Cairnie) as the heroine of this song. She gave birth to the illigitimate child of James Stephen on 16th June 1843, and the child was named after his father; 'Bogie' was Isabel's father, Alexander Morison.
The song was possibly written by John Geddes, grieve at Boghead farm, Cairnie, in 1865. A related song called 'Adieu to Bogieside' (Roud 4593) would appear to have been submitted to song-collectors of the early 20th century as a more literary version of this original song.
See:
Greig-Duncan vol. 7, pp. 223-231, no. 1396
'Come Gie's a Sang' (S. Douglas, 1995) pp. 86-87
'Folksongs of Britain & Ireland' (P. Kennedy, 1975) p. 766
'A Collection of Scots Songs' (A. Munro & H. Henderson, 1972) p. 15
'Till Doomsday in the Afternoon' (E. MacColl & P. Seeger, 1986) pp. 233-234
'Travellers' Songs from England and Scotland' (E. MacColl & P. Seeger, 1977) pp. 261-262
Item Subject/Person
Morison, Isabel; Morison, Alexander; Stephen, James
Item Location
County - Aberdeenshire
Parish - Cairnie
Village/Place - Boghead Farm
Language
Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good