One of many of Robert Burns’ songs which were first published in the Scots Musical Museum of 1792. Burns wrote the poem about his local Ayrshire river using a melody he heard during his travels in Scotland. There is some dispute as to whether tune is English, Irish or Scottish in origin, but it is now almost solely known in this version with Burns’ poem.

This arrangement is for mixed* voices with melody, descant and counter-melody or bass parts. *It was recently (2026) performed by a SAA choir, so is quite adaptable!

Here is a snippet of the first performance by The Bridge Singers. The audience sang the melody with the choir filling in the other two parts.

There are lots more arrangements of Robert Burns’ songs here: Burns Arrangements

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