Betsy Bell and Mary Gray
Steeleye Span Lyrics


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Betsy Bell and Mary Gray
They were bonny lasses
They bigget a bower on yon burnside
And theekit it o'er wi' rashes

They theekit it o'er wi' rashes green
They theekit it o'er wi' heather
But the plague came from the burrows-town
And it slew them baith tegither

They would not have their shoes of red
Nor would they have them yellow
But they would have their shoes of green
To ride through the streets of Yarrow

They thought to lye in Methren Kirk yard
Among their noble kin
But they were laid in Stronach Hall
All art beneath the sun

Betsy Bell and Mary Gray
They were bonny lasses




They bigget a bower on yon burnside
And theekit it o'er wi' rashes

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Steeleye Span's song "Betsy Bell and Mary Gray" tell the tragic story of two young women who built a bower by a stream and covered it with rushes and heather. They were known for their beauty and were described as "bonny lasses." However, despite their efforts to create a safe haven for themselves, they were ultimately struck by a deadly outbreak of plague that came from nearby "burrows-town." The disease killed them both, leaving behind a sorrowful legacy.


The song is notable for its use of Scottish dialect, which adds to its authenticity and emotional impact. The choice of green shoes for the women to wear when they ride through the streets of Yarrow is symbolic - green is often associated with life, growth, and renewal, and the women's choice of footwear might suggest a desire to preserve their vitality and hope even in the face of danger.


Despite its gloomy subject matter, "Betsy Bell and Mary Gray" has endured as a popular traditional folk song. Its haunting melody and poignant lyrics have been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Fairport Convention and Joan Baez.


Line by Line Meaning

Betsy Bell and Mary Gray
This song is about two women named Betsy Bell and Mary Gray.


They were bonny lasses
Betsy Bell and Mary Gray were beautiful young women.


They bigget a bower on yon burnside
They built a home on the side of a stream.


And theekit it o'er wi' rashes
They covered the roof with rushes (a type of plant).


They theekit it o'er wi' rashes green
They covered the roof with green rushes.


They theekit it o'er wi' heather
They covered the roof with heather (a type of plant).


But the plague came from the burrows-town
But unfortunately, a plague came from a nearby town.


And it slew them baith tegither
And it killed both of them at the same time.


They would not have their shoes of red
Betsy and Mary did not want red shoes.


Nor would they have them yellow
They also did not want yellow shoes.


But they would have their shoes of green
However, they did want green shoes.


To ride through the streets of Yarrow
They wanted the green shoes to wear while riding their horses through the streets of Yarrow.


They thought to lye in Methren Kirk yard
Betsy and Mary thought they would be buried in Methren Kirk yard with their noble relatives.


Among their noble kin
With their noble family members.


But they were laid in Stronach Hall
However, they were actually buried in Stronach Hall.


All art beneath the sun
This is the final resting place for everyone.




Contributed by Lincoln S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@ChuckDeFuque

Betsy Bell and Mary Gray
They were bonny lasses
They bigget a bower on yon burnside
And theekit it o'er wi' rashes.

They theekit it o'er wi' rashes green
They theekit it o'er wi' heather
But the plague came from the burrows-town
And it slew them baith thegither.

They would not have their shoes of red
Nor would they have them yellow
But they would have their shoes of green
To ride through the streets of Yarrow.

They thought to lye in Methren Kirk yard
Among their noble kin
But they were laid in Stronach Hall
All art beneath the sun.

Betsy Bell and Mary Gray
They were bonny lasses
They bigget a bower on yon burnside
And theekit it o'er wi' rashes.



All comments from YouTube:

@Xithinar

According to the sleevenotes from the album, Betsy Bell and Mary Gray were tow women who fled to the Scottish Highlands to escape the plague, but they managed to catch it off a young man who was bringing them food.

@selkieselkiechick1325

This song has been haunting me all month.

@bogfool

Love this so much. Haunting as hell.

@jelk1188

When they played this live at the Sydney Town Hall concert, the crowd was in shock and kept silent for a while before erupting into an insane applause. My goosebumps needed a few more minutes to disappear.

@sangravore

This song is beautiful. And if you get the chance, see it live. The electric violin is gorgeous.

@Xithinar

That's quite alright, I'm glad you like it.

@NotOrdinaryInGames

Thanks for answering!

@NotOrdinaryInGames

I like it too.

@Xithinar

No problem ;)

@NotOrdinaryInGames

Can anybody tell me what the song is about?

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