WHO STOLE THE HEART OF MY BONNIE LADDIE?

Who stole the heart of my bonnie laddie?
All alone and aloney O
And left me another lad in his body
Down where I cannot go
Down where I cannot follow

Who stole the words on my laddie's tongue
All alone and aloney O
And left me a rickle of skin and bone?
Down where I cannot go
Down where I cannot follow

Who stole the light in my laddie's eyes
And left me another lad in disguise?

Who stole today? Who stole tomorrow?
And left me with nothing but dolour and sorrow?

I know the name of the fire thief
But I can't grow a tree from a fallen leaf

Written for a forthcoming BBC Radio 2 musical documentary series called The Radio Ballads. Based on interviews with Anne Marie, who is living with HIV and lost her husband to AIDS, and Betty, who lost her son Michael. Both lost their loved ones to AIDS related dementia long before their bodies died.

The Radio Ballads series is inspired by the original groundbreaking programmes put together by Ewan McColl, Peggy Seeger and Charles Parker in the late fifties and early sixties. For more fascinating information on their innovative work check out Topic Records. Still powerful and moving stuff fifty years on.