Afton water - sung by Ken McKellar

Afton water - sung by Ken McKellar


Afton Water 1 Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
2 Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise;
3 My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream,
4 Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

5 Thou stock-dove, whose echo resounds thro' the glen,
6 Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den,
7 Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear,
8 I charge you disturb not my slumbering fair.

9 How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighbouring hills,
10 Far mark'd with the courses of clear winding rills;
11 There daily I wander as noon rises high,
12 My flocks and my Mary's sweet cot in my eye.

13 How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below,
14 Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow;
15 There oft, as mild Ev'ning sweeps over the lea,
16 The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.

17 Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides,
18 And winds by the cot where my Mary resides,
19 How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave,
20 As gathering sweet flowrets she stems thy clear wave.

21 Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
22 Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays;
23 My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream,
24 Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream

Robert Burns

Category:

Music

Tags:

• burns
• songs
• scottish
• Kenneth
• McKellar
• Afton
• waters

[lorgain2]

Franco this version of Afton Water is one of my all time favourites, and I go back a long way, Thank you.

[lorgain2]

Karen , Wee Hughie was recited at many a school in the north of Ireland, I will be waiting for those songs, Thanks for the comment.

[lorgain2]

Karen, I was always a fan of Kenneth McKellar, I listened to his Radio Programmes away back in the early 1950s, and also his BBC TV programmes, as many have said on this Thread a very under rated singer. If you do come across the LP I would be pleased to hear the songs again. Thanks for the comment.

[lorgain2]

ramqen951, If you listen to John MacCormacks recording on You Tube you will hear the definitive version, this MacCormack rendering of The snowy breasted pearl is unsurpassed.

Yes, Kenneth`s version is also i excellent, listen and compare.

[lorgain2]

David of the White Rock a lovely Welsh language song,jcriedijk thanks for your comment.

[lorgain2]

Thanks Annette, I agree pleasure to listen to.

[francovance1]

One of the finest tenors of the twentieth century.

[louisa1832]

Oh, my goodness, how lovely.

[ianblue100]

There are at least two melodies for this song and I think this is by far the best.

Does anyone know who the composer was??

[DROOCHITDUG1]

does anyone know if Kennith lived in Lenzie

[shriner62]

My father won the title of "Golden Voice of Scotland" in 1946 at the age of 13. One of the prizes was for him to be taught by Kenneth's vocal coach. My dad has sinced taught me to bea great singer, or at least great enough to learn how great I'll never be, and one lesson he paased on to me was to ALWAYS keep one's eyes open to your audience. Interesting, coming from a blind man......."

[Scotsbell]

First heard Kenneth as a 10 year old when he appeared in the Kings Theatre. Glasgow Can still remember him singing various old favourites. He was a guest of Francie and Josie (Rikki Fulton and Jack Milroy)

[patthecatman]

@theirisher this irish-american agrees whole-heartedly. i'll take mckellar any day of the week over frank patterson. the latter was a mere "pretender to the throne" of john mccormack. kenneth mckellar had a beautiful tenor voice and could do practically any song, serious and light-hearted.

[saltburner2]

@sheilamaclean

Sheila, you are right!

In my next presentation to a local Recorded Music Society, I am including 3 records by Ken: 1. Silent Worship, by Handel. 2. Down by the Sally Gardens, arranged by Britten, and, to end: 3. God be in my Head, made at Paisley Abbey.

[saltburner2]

@Lisnageeragh

I didn't mean that he was singing it too fast, but rather that the record was perhaps being played faster than it should be [i.e., not quite at thecorrect pitch].

I agree he is a sad loss - a voice in a million, and used with taste and skill.

[Lisnageeragh]

@saltburner2

[Lisnageeragh]

@saltburner2 Agree a little fast for the mood ..but he rises like the mountains...he is a loss ...one of the last voices perhaps for bringing us into that space