Marie’s Wedding

Also known as Mairi’s Wedding, the Lewis Bridal Song, and the original Scottish Gaelic: Màiri Bhàn “Blond Mary”. It is a Scottish folk song originally written in Gaelic by John Roderick Bannerman (1865–1938) for Mary C. MacNiven (1905–1997) on the occasion of her winning the gold medal at the National Mòd in 1934; winning the Mòd gold medal is the highest singing award in Gaelic Scotland. However her wedding did not take place until six years later when she married Captain John Campbell of Glendale, Skye. Mary continued to perform until her death in 1997 at age 91. In 1959, James B. Cosh designed a Scottish country dance to the tune. So it is not as old as some people have claimed.

A best friend of Sandy was named Mari, so she always enjoyed me singing this song.

 

Chorus:
Step we gaily, on we go
Heel for heel and toe for toe
Arm in arm and row on row
All for Marie’s wedding

Over hillways up and down
Myrtle green and bracken brown
Past the shielings through the town
All for sake of Marie

Red her cheeks as rowans are
Bright her eyes as any star
Fairest of them all by far
Is our darling Marie

Oh plenty herring, plenty meal
Plenty peat to fill her creel
Plenty bonny bairns as well
That’s the toast for Marie

Chorus 2x