Black but Comely

X:1 T:Black but Comely M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel B:Stewart-Robertson - The Athole Collection (1884) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:D A | d2 fd AAfd | eefd B2AB | defd AAfd | fedB A2A:|
 * f | adad feef | adad B2Bf |1 adad feef | dedB A2A :|2 adab afef | dedB A2A ||

 BLACK BUT COMELY. AKA and see AKA and see "Black Laddie My Darling," "For a' that and a' that," "Gille Dubh Mo Laochan (An)," "Lady Mackintosh (1)," "Lady Mackintosh's Reel (1)," "Mo Laochan," "Strawberry Blossom (2)." Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Gow, Surenne): AABB'. The title is a biblical reference: the Shulamite woman in Song of Solomon (who some say was the Queen of Sheba) referred to herself as "black, but comely." An air version of the tune is to be found in "Gille Dubh Mo Laochan (An)," employed by Robert Burns for his song "A Man's a Man for a' that." Printed sources: Gow (Complete Repository), Part 3, 1806; p. 37. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 152, p. 18. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; p. 52. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 97. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; p. 159. __NORICHEDITOR__