Ray Fisher - Mill O'Tifty's Annie

Ray Fisher (sister of Archie Fisher) singing 'Mill O'Tifty's Annie'. From the album 'The Bonny Birdy', released in 1972. This song is also often referred to as 'Andrew Lammie'.

Gordeanna McCulloch sang Mill o' Tifty's Annie 1997 on the Fellside anthology Ballads. Paul Adams commented in the liner notes:

The heroine is reputed to be one Annie Smith who died in 1673 and was buried in Fyvie Churchyard. Certainly the song has the feel of a ballad of considerable age. It's tune is a close relation of other "classic ballads" (c.f. Dowie Dens of Yarrow, Georgie, Barbara Allen). Gordeanna's source for this song was the fine Scots traditional singer, Sheila Stewart.

Martin Simpson sang Andrew Lammie in 2007 on his Topic CD Prodigal Son. He commented in his sleeve notes:

Andrew Lammie or Mill o' Tifty's Annie is a very big ballad indeed. Seemingly based on the life of Agnes Smith, daughter of William Smith, a close relative to the Laird of Inveramsay. According to F.J. Child who numbers this ballad 233 in The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, Agnes' gravestone is dated January 19th 1673. Mill of Tiftie was a mill and house standing a mere half mile North East of the castle of Fyvie, so the Lord would have regularly ridden by the door. I first heard this sung by Ray Fisher and compiled these lyrics from various sources. Just in case we thought honour killing to be a shocking new event, here it is in our high society.

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Lyrics:

At Mill o' Tifty lived a man
In the neighbourhood of Fyvie
And he had a lovely daughter fair
Was called Bonnie Annie

Lord Fyvie had a trumpeter
Whose name was Andrew Lammie
He had the art tae gain the heart
O' Mill o' Tifty's Annie

Lord Fyvie he rade by the door
Whaur lived Tifty's Annie
And his trumpeter rode him before
Even this same Andrew Lammie

Her mother called her to the door
Saying, "Come here tae me, my Annie
Did e'er ye see a bonnier lad
Than the trumpeter o' Fyvie?"

Nae thing she said, but sighing sore
Alas for Bonnie Annie
She durst not own her heart was won
By the trumpeter o' Fyvie

At nicht when all lay in their bed
A' sleeped soon but Annie
Love so oppressed her tender breast
Thinking on Andrew Lammie

"Oh love comes in at my bedside
And love lies doon beside me
Love so possessed my tender breast
And love will waste my body

"For the first time me and my love met
Twas in the woods o' Fyvie
Wi' kisses sweet he did me greet
And called me his Bonnie Annie

But the last time me and my love met
Says he, "My Bonnie Annie
It's I will gang to Edinburgh toon
But I'll soon win back to Fyvie"

But word is soon has gotten round
That the trumpeter o' Fyvie
Has had the urge to gain the heart
O' Mill o' Tifty's Annie

So Tifty's wrote a letter breet (?)
And sent it up to Fyvie
Tae say his daughter was bewitched
By his servant Andrew Lammie

So Fyvie rade straight tae the mill
Saying, "What ails ye, Bonnie Annie?"
"Oh it's a' for love that I maun dee
Aye, it's a' for Andrew Lammie"

"Oh Tifty, Tifty gie consent
And let your dochter marry
It will be tae ane o' higher degree
Than the trumpeter o' Fyvie

"Had she been born o' richer kin
As she is rich in beauty
I wud hae ta'en the lass mysel'
And made her my ain true lady"

"Oh, Fyvie's lands they're far and wide
An' they are wondrous bonny
But I wad nae leave my ain true love
No' for a' your lands o' Fyvie"

At this her faither struck her sore
As likewise did her mother
Her sisters a' they did her scorn
But wae be tae her brother

For her brither struck her wondrous sore
Wi' cruel strokes and mony
He broke her back gainst the high ha' door
All for loving Andrew Lammie

"Oh faither, mither, sisters a'
Why so cruel tae your Annie?
My heart was broken first by love
Noo my brither's broke my body

"Oh mither, mither mak' my bed
An' turn my face tae Fyvie
That I may lie and thus may die
For the trumpeter o' Fyvie"

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All credit goes to Ray Fisher. I only put the music and images together for Youtube to enjoy this greatly underexposed artist.