Broadside ballad entitled 'My Lovely Lowland Caroline'

Commentary

Verse 1: 'Soft rolls Clyde's bonny silver stream, / Blow gentle breezes o'er yon lawn, / Bright Phoebus with his golden beams, / May cheer the birds while I do mourn. / The damask rose so bonny blows, / And honeysuckles may entwine, / Yet all are adding to my woes - / I've lost my lowland Caroline.' This sheet was published by James Lindsay of Glasgow but is not dated.

This broadside ballad is a song of mourning from a husband to his deceased young wife. The writer of this elegiac ballad laments that, although nature may have many wonders to offer, life is miserable without his loved one. The advertisement at the bottom of this sheet is especially interesting, as it gives a good illustration of the diversity that a broadside publisher could offer the public. Many romantic broadside ballads such as this are held in the National Library of Scotland's collection.

Early ballads were dramatic or humorous narrative songs derived from folk culture that predated printing. Originally perpetuated by word of mouth, many ballads survive because they were recorded on broadsides. Musical notation was rarely printed, as tunes were usually established favourites. The term 'ballad' eventually applied more broadly to any kind of topical or popular verse.

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