The Wind Blew The Bonnie Lassie’s Plaidie Awa

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For there wis a bonnie lassie an’ she lived in Crieff
She went into a butcher’s shop when he wis sellin’ beef
An’ he’s gi’en tae her the middle cut an’ doon she did fa’
An’ the win’s blewn the bonnie lassie’s plaidie awa’

For the win’ blaws east, the win’ blaws west
The win’s blewn the bonnie lassie’s plaidie awa
For the beef wis in her basket an’ she couldna rise ava
An’ the win’s blewn the bonnie lassie’s plaidie awa’

For the plaidie wis lost an’ couldna be f’un’
The lassie an’ the butcher lad wis Iyin’ on the gr’un’
O whit shall I tell tae the aul’ folks ava
For I canna say the win’ blew ma plaidie awa’

For the plaidie wis lost an’ couldna be f’un’
The lassie she grew ill an’ swelled about the waist
An’ Rab he wis blamed for the hale o’ it a’
An’ the win’ blew the bonnie lassie’s plaidie awa’

Oot cam the aul’ wife the laddie tae accuse
The ministers an’ elders were there tae abuse
And the butcher lad for tryin’ tae mak’ ane intae twa
An’ the win’s blewn the bonnie lassie’s plaidie awa’

For the lassie wis sent for tae come there hersel’
She lookit at Rab an’ says: “Ye ken hoo I fell
The beef wis the cause o’t, ye daurna say ‘Na'”
An’ the win’s blewn the bonnie lassie’s plaidie awa’

Rab looked at the lassie an’ gied a wee smile
Says he: “Ma Bonnie lassie, I winna you beguile
For the minister’s here makin’ sure o’ us twa
An’ that’ll pey for the plaidie that the win’ blew awa’

For the win’ blaws east, the win’ blaws west
The win’s blewn the bonnie lassie’s plaidie awa’
We shall get the middle cut, the tenderest o’ it a’
An’ we’ll drink tae the plaidie that the win’ blew awa’

For the win’ blaws east, the win’ blaws west
The win’s blewn the bonnie lassie’s plaidie awa’
We shall get the middle cut, flesh, banes an’ a’
An’ we’ll drink to the plaidie that the win’ blew awa’

This engaging piece of symbolism, in which the loss of virginity is pleasantly represented by a plaid blown away by the wind, stands as a testimony to Scottish tolerance in sexual matters. Despite the complete lack of equivocation Robert Ford printed the song in 1899 when taboos were much stronger.

Although the piece may not itself be very old its origins seem quite distant, for the ‘Plaidie awa’ refrain appears in a broadside of The Elfin Knight dated 1673 and the tune, usually called The White Cockade in Scotland is very wide spread, indicating considerable age. Incidentally, Jim Connell, who wrote the words of The Red Flag, intended that the Labour anthem should be sung to this tune.

f’un’ = found
gr’un’ = ground
ava = at all
hale = whole
banes = bones