It isnae me

"It isnae me" is a poem by Sally Holmes which was set to music by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1930.

The poem was first printed in Country Life magazine, and the song published in 1931 by Keith Prowse & Co. Ltd,. London.

It was written at Elgar's home "Marl Bank" near Worcester, dedicated to the young soprano Joan Elwes,^[1] whom he had admired at Three Choirs Festivals, and performed by her in October 1930 at a concert in Dumfries, Scotland.

The poem is in the Scots language.

Lyrics

IT ISNAE ME -

It isnae me that's keerin - or no an awfu lot,

But - it's sair, whiles, mindin things ye thocht ye had forgot.

An when wee Tam the Fiddler played 'The Lea Rig'^[2] doon the street,

I gied masel a shock tae find that I wis near tae greet.

It isnae me that's keerin - or no for vera lang,

But - there's mony happy times awa since last I heard yon sang.

An someway -- Och, I dinnae ken! I cannae say things richt --

I wish young Tam the Fiddler hadnae played yon sang last nicht.

Sally Holmes.

Scots translations

keerin = grieving / complaining

sair = sad

whiles = meanwhile

mindin = remembering

wee = little / young

lea rig = meadow-ridge

gied masel = gave myself

greet = cry

awa = ago

dinnae ken = don't know

Other Scots words are the same or similar to the English.

Recordings

• "The Unknown Elgar" includes "It isnae me" performed by Teresa Cahill (soprano), with Barry Collett (piano).
• Songs and Piano Music by Edward Elgar has "It isnae me" performed by Mark Wilde (tenor), with David Owen Norris (piano).

References

1. York Symphony Orchestra People Photograph of Joan Elwes
2. 'The Lea-Rig' by Robert Burns

• Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Elgar (Oxford University Press, 1968) ISBN 0-19-315414-5