Ae Fond Kiss

This track is a firm favourite at the session and I've wanted a recording of Ali's version for quite a while now:


"Ae Fond Kiss is a love poem by the Scottish poet and song collector Robert Burns. His words were an adaptation of the poem "One Kind Kiss Before We Part" by Robert Dodsley, whose lines reportedly were set to music by James Oswald around 1756. It was first written as a poem in a letter to Agnes M'Lehose ( known as 'Nancy' to her friends) in December 1791. I first heard this song from my father, who is a Robert Burns fanatic. I have always admired the intense passion and sadness conveyed in the lyrics."

Ali

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerfu' twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy;
Naething could resist my Nancy;
But to see her was to love her,
Love but her, and love for ever.
Had we never loved sae kindly,
Had we never loved sae blindly,
Never met—or never parted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.

Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure!
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!