English Songs and Ballads Part 34

A RED, RED ROSE

O, my luve's like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June: O, my luve's like the melodie That's sweetly play'd in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonie la.s.s, So deep in luve am I: And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a' the seas gang dry.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi' the sun: I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o' life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only luve, And fare thee weel awhile!

And I will come again, my luve, Tho' it were ten thousand mile!

COMIN' THRO' THE RYE

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

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?

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

Jenny's a' weet, poor body; Jenny's seldom dry; She draigl't a' her petticoatie, Comin' thro' the rye.

PHILLIS THE FAIR

While larks with little wing Fann'd the pure air, Tasting the breathing spring, Forth I did fare: Gay the sun's golden eye Peep'd o'er the mountains high; 'Such thy morn,' did I cry, 'Phillis the fair!'

In each bird's careless song Glad did I share; While yon wild flowers among, Chance led me there: Sweet to the opening day, Rosebuds bent the dewy spray; 'Such thy bloom,' did I say, 'Phillis the fair!'

Down in a shady walk, Doves cooing were, I mark'd the cruel hawk Caught in a snare; So kind may Fortune be, Such make his destiny, He who would injure thee, Phillis the fair!

AE FOND KISS

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever; Ae fareweel, alas! for ever!

Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee, Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.

Who shall say that fortune grieves him, While the star of hope she leaves him?

Me, nae cheerfu' twinkle lights me; Dark despair around benights me.

I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy, Naething could resist my Nancy; But to see her was to love her; Love but her, and love for ever.

Had we never loved sae kindly, Had we never loved sae blindly, Never met--or never parted, We had ne'er been broken-hearted.

Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest!

Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest!

Thine be ilka joy and treasure, Peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure!

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever; Ae fareweel, alas! for ever!

Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee, Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee!

MY BONNY MARY

Go fetch to me a pint o' wine, And fill it in a silver ta.s.sie; That I may drink, before I go, A service to my bonny la.s.sie; The boat rocks at the pier o' Leith, Fu' loud the wind blaws frae the Ferry; The s.h.i.+p rides by the Berwick law, And I maun leave my bonny Mary.

The trumpets sound, the banners fly, The glittering spears are ranked ready; The shouts o' war are heard afar, The battle closes thick and b.l.o.o.d.y; But it's not the roar o' sea or sh.o.r.e Wad make me langer wish to tarry; Nor shouts o' war that's heard afar-- It's leaving thee, my bonny Mary.

AFTON WATER

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes, Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise; My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

Thou stock-dove whose echo resounds thro' the glen, Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon th.o.r.n.y den, Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear, I charge you disturb not my slumbering fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighbouring hills, Far mark'd with the courses of clear, winding rills; There daily I wander as noon rises high, My flocks and my Mary's sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below, Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow; There oft as mild ev'ning weeps over the lea, The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides, And winds by the cot where my Mary resides; How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave, As gathering sweet flow'rets she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes, Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays; My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

FOR THE SAKE OF SOMEBODY

My heart is sair, I daurna tell, My heart is sair for Somebody; I could wake a winter night, For the sake o' Somebody!

Oh-hon! for Somebody!

Oh-hey! for Somebody!

I could range the world around, For the sake o' Somebody.