O what, lassie, what does your Highland laddie wear? O what, lassie, what does your Highland laddie wear? A scarlet coat and bannet blue, with bonnie yellow hair; And nane in the warld can wi' my love compare. O where, and O where, is your Highland laddie gane? O where, and O where, is your Highland laddie gane? He's gone to fight for George, our king, and left us all alane; For noble and brave's my loyal Highlandman. O what, lassie, what, if your Highland lad be slain? O what, lassie, what, if your Highland lad be slain? O no true love will be his guard, and bring him safe again; For I never could live without my Highlandman! O when, and O when, will your Highland lad come hame? O when, and O when, will your Highland lad come hame? Whene'er the war is over, he'll return to me with fame; And I'll plait a wreath of flowers for my lovely Highlandman. O what will you claim for your constancy to him? FEE HIM, FATHER. TUNE-Fee him, Father. O, SAW ye Johnnie comin'? quo she, O, saw ye Johnnie comin'? quo she, O saw ye Johnnie comin'? quo she, Saw ye Johnnie comin', Wi' his blue bonnet on his head, *From Johnson's Scots Musical Museum, vol. VI. 1803. And his doggie rinnin'? quo she, O, fee him, father, fee him, quo she, O, fee him, father, fee him, quo she, For he is a gallant lad, And a weel-doin'; And a' the wark about the toun Gangs wi' me when I see him, quo she, O what will I do wi' him? quo he, I hae twa coats into my kist, And ane o' them I'll gie him; Dinna stand wi' him, quo she, For weel do I loe him, quo she, For weel do I loe him, quo she, Weel do I loe him. O, fee him, father, fee him, quo she, Fee him, father, fee him; He'll haud the pleuch, thrash in the barn, And crack wi' me at e'en, quo she, And crack wi' me at e'en.* CRAIL TOUN.+ TUNE-Sir John Malcolm. AND was ye e'er in Crail toun ? Igo and ago; * From Herd's Collection, 1776. There is a somewhat different version of this strange song in Herd's Collection, 1776. The present, which I think the best, is copied from The Scottish Minstrel. And saw ye there Clerk Dishington ?* His wig was like a doukit hen, The tail o't like a goose-pen, And dinna ye ken Sir John Malcolm? Igo and ago; Gin he's a wise man I mistak him, Sing irom, igon, ago. And hud ye weel frae Sandie Don, He's ten times dafter nor Sir John, To hear them o' their travels talk, Igo and ago; To gae to London's but a walk, Sing irom, igon, ago. To see the wonders o' the deep, Igo and ago, Wad gar a man baith wail and weep, Sing irom, igon, ago. To see the leviathan skip, Igo and ago, And wi' his tail ding ower a ship, *The person known in Scottish song and tradition by the epithet Clerk Dishington, was a notary who resided about the middle of the last century in Crail, and acted as the town-clerk of that ancient burgh. I have been informed that he was a person of great local celebrity in his time, as an uncompromising humourist. S MY ONLY JO AND DEARIE, O. GALL.* TUNE-My only jo and dearie, O. THY cheek is o' the rose's hue, O sweet's the twinkle o' thine ee: The birdie sings upon the thorn When we were bairnies on yon brae, Our joys fu' sweet and monie, O. I hae a wish I canna tine, 'Mang a' the cares that grieve me, O; My only jo and dearie, O. Richard Gall, the son of a dealer in old furniture in St Mary's Wynd, Edinburgh, was brought up to the business of a printer, and díed, at an early age, about the beginning of the present century. TARRY WOO. TUNE-Tarry woo. TARRY WOO, tarry woo, Card it weil, ere ye begin, Sing my bonnie harmless sheep, Through the winter's frost and snow. Frae kings, to him that hauds the plou', Up, ye shepherds, dance and skip; How happy is the shepherd's life, He lives content, and envies none: |