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Stay, my Charmer, can you leave me; Cruel, cruel to deceive me! Well you know how much you grieve me: Cruel Charmer, can you go! Cruel Charmer, can you go! By my love so ill requited; By the faith you fondly plighted; By the pangs of lovers slighted; Do not, do not leave me so! Do not, do not leave me so!
This is a song by Robert Burns. It was written in 1788 and is read here by Annette Crosbie.
Pauline MackayThe song 'Stay My Charmer, can you leave me?' was published in James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum in 1788. Songs which lament unrequited love and abandonment represent a common theme of eighteenth century folk song.
An Commun Gaidhealach, the organisation to promote and develop the Gaelic language was founded on the last day of April 1891. To mark the anniversary, a lyric Burns set to an old Gaelic air, 'An Gille dubh ciar dhubh'. Its theme is abandonment. In fact, with a (BBC) television channel dedicated to the language and more and more parents choosing to have their children schooled in it, ever increasing numbers find themselves succumbing to the charms of one of Scotland's ancient tongues.
Donny O'Rourke
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