Bogie's Bonnie Belle

Original Track ID

SA1969.52

Original Tape ID

SA1969.052

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 gives birth to his illegitimate son; the farmer is enraged when he finds out. When the young man offers to marry her, Bogie refuses, saying he is not her match, and the young man is dismissed. Belle later marries a travelling tinsmith and goes off with him.

Ethel Findlater learned the song from her cousin Bella; her husband also sang the song.

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 illegitimate child of James Stephen on 16th June 1843, and the child was named after his father. 'Bogie' was Isabel's father, Alexander Morison, named for his farm after the Scottish custom.

The song was possibly written by John Geddes, grieve at Boghead farm, Cairnie, in 1865. A related song called 'Adieu to Bogieside' (Roud Folk Song Index no. 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

Language

Scots

Genre

Song Information

Collection

SoSS

Classification

R2155 GD1396

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good