Songs and lyrics of Robert Burns

Name: Songs and lyrics of Robert Burns
Author: Burns, Robert

Burns, Robert

Scottish poetry -- 18th century

=Wair=, to spend, bestow.

  =Wale=, to choose; a choice.

  =Walie= (adj.), choice; goodly; large.

  =Wame=, the belly.

  =Wanchancie=, risky.

  =Wanrestfu’=, restless.

  =Wark-lume=, a tool.

  =Warstle=, to wrestle, struggle.

  =Waught=, a draught, or hearty drink.

  =Wauken=, to awaken.

  =Waukin’=, watching.

  =Waukit=, hardened with work.

  =Waukrife=, wakeful.

  =Waur=, worse.

  =Weans= (= =wee anes=), children.

  =Weasan=, the weasand.

  =We’se=, we will, or shall.

  =Whaizle=, to wheeze.

  =Whiddin=, scudding; =whids=, gambols.

  =Whigmaleeries=, fantastical notions.

  =Whins=, furze bushes.

  =Whirligigums=, flourishes.

  =Whitter=, a hearty draught.

  =Whyles=, sometimes.

  =Widdle=, the wriggle and struggle.

  =Wimple=, to meander.

  =Winnock-bunker=, a window-seat.

  =Wintie=, a staggering motion.

  =Woodie=, the gallows; a wand.

  =Wordy=, worthy.

  =Writers=, lawyers.

  =Wud=, wild, mad.

  =Wyte=, blame.

  =Yell=, dry, milkless.

  =Ye’se=, you shall or will.

  =Yestreen=, last night.

  =Yett=, gate.

  =Yokin=, a yoking; a spell of work; a set to.

  =Yont=, beyond.

  =Yowe=, a ewe.

  =Yowie= (dim. of =yowe=), a pet ewe.

  =Yule=, Christmas (old style, however,
  and therefore January 5).

  [N.B.—The reader will do well to bear in mind that where Burns
  uses, seemingly, a mixed dialect, the bias of feeling is towards
  the vernacular; so that many words that are spelt as English must
  be pronounced as Scotch in order to get the sense or rhyme or
  both. See (e.g.) toun above.]

Index of First Lines

[The first lines of Choruses, as well as of the opening verses, are
given in this Index.]

  Ae fond kiss, and then we sever, 73

  Again rejoicing nature sees, 58

  A guid New-Year I wish thee, Maggie, 37

  Ah, Chloris, since it may na be, 72

  Ance crowdie, twice crowdie, 150

  An’ O for ane an’ twenty, Tam, 34

  An’ O! my Eppie, 148

  As cauld a wind as ever blew, 119

  As Mailie, an’ her lambs thegither, 94

  Awa wi’ your witchcraft o’ beauty’s alarms, 132

  Ay waukin, O, 163

  Bannocks o’ bear meal, 155

  Behind yon hills where Lugar flows, 20

  Blythe, blythe and merry was she, 7

  Bonnie lassie, will ye go, 3

  Braw braw lads on Yarrow braes, 75

  By Ochtertyre there grows the aik, 7

  By yon castle wa’, at the close of the day, 12

  Ca’ the yowes to the knowes, 108

  Cauld is the e’enin’ blast, 130

  Coming through the rye, poor body, 156

  Contented wi’ little, and cantie wi’ mair, 47

  Dear Smith, the sleest pawkie thief, 114

  Does haughty Gaul invasion threat, 169

  Duncan Gray came here to woo, 18

  Edina, Scotia’s darling seat, 69

  Fair fa’ your honest sonsie face, 154

  Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong, 74

  First when Maggie was my care, 130

  Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes, 9

  For a’ that, and a’ that, 167

  For auld lang syne, my dear, 170

  Gane is the day, and mirk’s the night, 51

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Songs and lyrics of Robert BurnsBurns, Robert

General

Songs and lyrics of Robert Burns

Burns, Robert

Scottish poetry -- 18th century

=Wair=, to spend, bestow.

  =Wale=, to choose; a choice.

  =Walie= (adj.), choice; goodly; large.

  =Wame=, the belly.

  =Wanchancie=, risky.

  =Wanrestfu’=, restless.

  =Wark-lume=, a tool.

  =Warstle=, to wrestle, struggle.

  =Waught=, a draught, or hearty drink.

  =Wauken=, to awaken.

  =Waukin’=, watching.

  =Waukit=, hardened with work.

  =Waukrife=, wakeful.

  =Waur=, worse.

  =Weans= (= =wee anes=), children.

  =Weasan=, the weasand.

  =We’se=, we will, or shall.

  =Whaizle=, to wheeze.

  =Whiddin=, scudding; =whids=, gambols.

  =Whigmaleeries=, fantastical notions.

  =Whins=, furze bushes.

  =Whirligigums=, flourishes.

  =Whitter=, a hearty draught.

  =Whyles=, sometimes.

  =Widdle=, the wriggle and struggle.

  =Wimple=, to meander.

  =Winnock-bunker=, a window-seat.

  =Wintie=, a staggering motion.

  =Woodie=, the gallows; a wand.

  =Wordy=, worthy.

  =Writers=, lawyers.

  =Wud=, wild, mad.

  =Wyte=, blame.

  =Yell=, dry, milkless.

  =Ye’se=, you shall or will.

  =Yestreen=, last night.

  =Yett=, gate.

  =Yokin=, a yoking; a spell of work; a set to.

  =Yont=, beyond.

  =Yowe=, a ewe.

  =Yowie= (dim. of =yowe=), a pet ewe.

  =Yule=, Christmas (old style, however,
  and therefore January 5).

  [N.B.—The reader will do well to bear in mind that where Burns
  uses, seemingly, a mixed dialect, the bias of feeling is towards
  the vernacular; so that many words that are spelt as English must
  be pronounced as Scotch in order to get the sense or rhyme or
  both. See (e.g.) toun above.]

Index of First Lines

[The first lines of Choruses, as well as of the opening verses, are
given in this Index.]

  Ae fond kiss, and then we sever, 73

  Again rejoicing nature sees, 58

  A guid New-Year I wish thee, Maggie, 37

  Ah, Chloris, since it may na be, 72

  Ance crowdie, twice crowdie, 150

  An’ O for ane an’ twenty, Tam, 34

  An’ O! my Eppie, 148

  As cauld a wind as ever blew, 119

  As Mailie, an’ her lambs thegither, 94

  Awa wi’ your witchcraft o’ beauty’s alarms, 132

  Ay waukin, O, 163

  Bannocks o’ bear meal, 155

  Behind yon hills where Lugar flows, 20

  Blythe, blythe and merry was she, 7

  Bonnie lassie, will ye go, 3

  Braw braw lads on Yarrow braes, 75

  By Ochtertyre there grows the aik, 7

  By yon castle wa’, at the close of the day, 12

  Ca’ the yowes to the knowes, 108

  Cauld is the e’enin’ blast, 130

  Coming through the rye, poor body, 156

  Contented wi’ little, and cantie wi’ mair, 47

  Dear Smith, the sleest pawkie thief, 114

  Does haughty Gaul invasion threat, 169

  Duncan Gray came here to woo, 18

  Edina, Scotia’s darling seat, 69

  Fair fa’ your honest sonsie face, 154

  Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong, 74

  First when Maggie was my care, 130

  Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes, 9

  For a’ that, and a’ that, 167

  For auld lang syne, my dear, 170

  Gane is the day, and mirk’s the night, 51

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Songs and lyrics of Robert Burns

Songs and lyrics of Robert Burns

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