He had several hit singles - "Come in-Come in", "Donald where's yer troosers?", "A Scottish Soldier" (36 weeks in the chart in 1961), "Campbeltown Loch", "The Muckin' O' Geordie's Byre", "Tunes of Glory", and "Dr. Finlay". He is also remembered for being the compere of "The White Heather Club". This was a BBC television programme that existed as an annual New Year's Eve party (1957 - 1968) and also as a weekly early evening series (1960 - 1968). "Donald Where's Yer Troosers?" was a hit in 1961 and again in 1989. Andy does an Elvis impersonation half way through the song. On the strength of this comedy hit, Andy toured Australia and appeared on the Ed Sullivan show in 1968, doing impersonations of Dean Martin.
In retirement he moved back to Arbroath and died there in 1993. Before he died he did a small concert at Arbroath High School (which he had attended) for the pupils. A sheltered housing scheme in Arbroath, 'Andy Stewart Court', was named in his memory.
Stewart's son Ewan Stewart is an actor, whose film credits include Rob Roy and Titanic.
Ae Fond Kiss
Andy Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 cheerful 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 lov'd sae kindly,
Had we never lov'd 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 fareweeli alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
The lyrics of Andy Stewart's song "Ae Fond Kiss" is a passionate farewell to a loved one. The opening lines of "Ae fond kiss and then we sever, Ae fareweel, alas forever" depicts a heart-wrenching farewell, where the singer knows that they must part from their beloved with no promise of a future meeting. The lines "Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee, Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee" shows the depth of the singer's emotion, with the use of the words "heart-wrung" and "warring" signifying the internal battle between holding on and letting go.
The singer expresses their remorse and despair with "Who shall say that Fortune grieves him, While the star of hope she leaves him? Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me; Dark despair around benights me," showcasing their sense of loss and sadness. The next verse seems to talk of how inevitable and necessary the love was, with "But to see her was to love her, Love but her, and love for ever... had we never lov'd sae kindly... we had ne'er been broken-hearted."
Overall, the song is a beautiful and poignant tribute to love and its heartbreak. It showcases the complexity of emotions and the desperation that accompanies a farewell.
Line by Line Meaning
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever,
One last kiss before we part ways forever.
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Saying goodbye for the last time with sadness.
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
I will promise my love with tears in my eyes.
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
I will fight against the pain of separation with sighs and groans.
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
No one can claim to be unlucky if they still have hope.
While the star of hope she leaves him?
If even hope disappears, then it is truly a sad situation.
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me;
I have lost all sense of joy and happiness.
Dark despair around benights me.
I am constantly surrounded by sadness and despair.
I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,
I will never regret loving you so deeply.
Naething could resist my Nancy,
I could not resist falling in love with Nancy.
But to see her was to love her,
I fell in love with Nancy as soon as I saw her.
Love but her, and love for ever.
I will only love Nancy, and that love will last forever.
Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
If we had never loved each other so deeply,
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
If we had not loved each other without reservations,
Never met-or never parted,
If we had either never met or never separated,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.
Our hearts would never have been shattered.
Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest!
Goodbye to the one who was my first and most beautiful love.
Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest!
Goodbye to the one who was my best and most beloved.
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
You deserve every joy and treasure in life.
Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!
May you have peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure always.
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
One last kiss before we say goodbye forever.
Ae fareweeli alas, for ever!
Saying goodbye for the last time with sadness.
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
I will promise my love with tears in my eyes.
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
I will fight against the pain of separation with sighs and groans.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DP, CHRIS HAZELL, ROBERT BURNS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lynnsaoirse6104
My all-time favourite Scottish singer. A powerful voice which also held a tenderness that could break the heart. His interpretations of songs are always the best in my book!
@robertplautz9722
Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest! Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest!
@jamesstuartbrice420
I love this rendition, along with his version of the Lea Rig. The beautiful accompaniments perfectly complement his sensitive, introspective and heartfelt singing. How true Robert Burns song texts are to life, and how well they have continued to move listeners and inspire performers after so many years. A great Scottish poet and songmaker.
@natalieengleman2753
This reminds me of the Irish folk song Donal Og. I guess it's because they're both in the same key and have a similar melody.