Deanna Durbin – Annie Laurie 0

Annie Laurie (Lady John Scott, William Douglas)

Maxwellton braes are bonnie
Where early fa's the dew
And it's there that Annie Laurie
Gied me her promise true
Gied me her promise true
Which ne'er forgot will be
And for bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me doon and dee

Her brow is like the snowdrift
Her neck it's like the swan
Her face it is the fairest
That e'er the sun shone on
That e'er the sun shone on
And dark blue is her e'e
And for bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me doon and dee

Maxwellton braes are bonnie
Where early fa's the dew
And it's there that Annie Laurie
Gied me her promise true
Gied me her promise true
Which ne'er forgot will be
And for bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me doon and dee

Like dew on the gowan lying
Is the fa' of her fairy feet
And like wind in summer sighing
Her voice is low and sweet
Her voice is low and sweet
She's a' the world to me
And for bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me doon and dee

Maxwellton braes are bonnie
Where early fa's the dew
And it's there that Annie Laurie
Gied me her promise true
Gied me her promise true
Which ne'er forgot will be
And for bonnie Annie Laurie
I'd lay me doon and dee

Annie (Anna) Laurie was born on 16 December 1682. The original poem was written by William Douglas of Fingland around 1700, then improved and extended by Lady John Scott of Lauderdale around 1834-35. William Douglas was not accepted by Anna's father Sir Robert Laurie, first baronet of Maxwellton, as he was a Hanoverian Royalist whilst William was a fiery Jacobite. Both Fingland and Maxwellton are located in Dumfries in the Scottish Borders.