Mairie's Wedding, auch bekannt als Marie's Wedding oder Mairi Bhan.
Der Song wurde 1935 von Johnny Bannerman für seine Freundin Mary McNiven in traditionellem Schottisch geschrieben. Die erste öffentliche Aufführung war im Old Highlanders Institute in der Glasgower Elmbank Street.
Hugh S. Roberton hat den Text 1936 ins Englische übersetzt.
Für weitere Informationen hier ein Artikel von Stephen Houston
Glasgow Daily Record
(Datum ist unbekannt, es lag nur ein fotokopierter Ausriss vor, der Erscheinungstermin war ein Tag vor Mairies 90. Geburtstag):
Exclusive: Step we gaily on we go, this IS Mairi's wedding
Now it's All for Mairi's birthday! She'll still be singing at 90
by Stephen Houston
Millions of Scots have sung Mairi's Wedding. And now, thanks to the Record, they can meet the bride herself.
For one of our best-loved tunes was written for Mary McNiven.
And the OAP is still stepping gaily, even though she'll be NINETY tomorrow.
Scots schoolkids have been learning the song for generations, and it's a firm favourite all over the world.
At her cottage on Islay yesterday, Mary said: "I can't believe it became so popular. But when it was first played to me I found it very catchy -- and I still do."
The song was originally written Gaelic -- that's why she was "Mairi" instead of "Mary" -- for the Mod of 1935.
Her pal Johnny Bannerman composed it and it was first played to her at the Old Highlanders Institute in Glasgow's Elmbank Street
"I still have a clear recollection of that day," said Mary. "Johnny just said the song was for me."
It was translated into English a year later, by Sir Hugh Robertson.
Although Mary herself was real, the wedding wasn't. For she didn't get hitched to Skye-born sea captain John Campbell until six years later. John died 17 years ago.
Mum of two, Mary, who won a Mod gold medal for singing in 1934, will enjoy a family birthday party in Glasgow this weekend. And it won't be complete without the famous song.
Her daughter Christine, a teacher from Hyndland, Glasgow, said: "Mum still sometimes sings it in Gaelic and people are always asking her to. I suspect she'll sing it to celebrate her birthday."
Mairi's Wedding
Step we gaily on we go
Heel for heel and toe for toe
Arm in arm and row on row
All for Mairi's wedding.
Over hillways up and down
Myrtle green and bracken brown
Past the shieling through the town
All for sake of Mairi.
Chorus:
Red her cheeks as rowans are
Bright her eye as any star
Fairest of them all by far
Is my darlin' Mairi.
Chorus:
Plenty herring, plenty meal
Plenty peat to fill her creel
Plenty bonny bairns as weel
That's the toast of Mairi.
Chorus: (Twice)