Comin' Thro' the Rye facts for kids

Comin' Thro' the Rye is a famous poem written in 1782 by Robert Burns (1759–96). He was a very well-known Scottish poet. The words of this poem are sung to a traditional Scottish tune called "Common' Frae The Town." This melody is actually very similar to the one used for another famous song, Auld Lang Syne. The main difference is how fast or slow they are sung.

Robert Burns' Poem Lyrics

This poem tells a simple story. It talks about someone, often a girl named Jenny, walking through a field of rye. Rye is a type of grain, similar to wheat. When you walk through tall, wet plants, your clothes can get muddy or wet. The poem also asks if it's a big deal if two people meet and share a kiss while walking through the rye.

O, Jenny's a' weet, poor body,
Jenny's seldom dry:
She draigl't a' her petticoatie,
Comin thro' the rye!

Chorus:
Comin thro' the rye, poor body,
Comin thro' the rye,
She draigl't a' her petticoatie,
Comin thro' the rye!

Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro' the rye,
Gin a body kiss a body,
Need a body cry?

(chorus)

Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro' the glen
Gin a body kiss a body,
Need the warl' ken?

(chorus)

Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro' the grain;
Gin a body kiss a body,
The thing's a body's ain.

(chorus)

Here are some of the older Scottish words explained:

• weet – wet (meaning her clothes got wet from the plants)
• draigl't – draggled (meaning her clothes got muddy or wet and messy)
• gin – if
• cry – call out (for help or attention)
• warl – world
• ken – know
• ain – own

The Catcher in the Rye Novel

The title of the famous novel The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by J. D. Salinger comes from this very poem. The main character in the book, Holden Caulfield, remembers a line from the poem a little differently. He thinks it says "if a body catch a body" instead of "if a body meet a body."

Holden imagines children playing in a big field of rye right next to a cliff. He pictures himself as the "catcher" who stops them from falling off the cliff. This idea becomes very important to him in the story.

Popular Versions of the Song

Many artists have recorded or performed "Comin' Thro' the Rye" over the years. Here are a few examples:

• The very first recording of the song was made in 1912 by Marcella Sembrich.
• The famous singer Marian Anderson covered the song in 1944.
• Bill Haley & His Comets recorded a rock and roll version in 1956 called "Rockin' Through The Rye." They changed the lyrics to sound more like 1950s slang. The BBC (a British broadcasting company) actually banned the song from their radio shows because they felt it was too modern. But it still became very popular, reaching No. 3 on the UK music charts!
• Alvin and the Chipmunks included the song on their 1960 album Around the World with The Chipmunks.
• Bing Crosby sang it as part of a medley on his album 101 Gang Songs (1961).
• The song was sung by Ava Gardner in the 1953 movie Mogambo.

Images for kids

• 

  This is a ford, which is a shallow place to cross, on the Rye Water in Drakemyre, Dalry.