As I came thro' Sandgate,
thro' Sandgate, thro' Sandgate;
as I cam thro' Sandgate,
I heard a lassie sing:
Wee! may the keel row,
the keel row, the keel row,
weel may the keel row
that my laddie's in.

Oh, wha's like ma Johnnie,
sae leish, sae blithe, sae bonny?
He's foremost 'mang the mony
keel lads o'coaly Tyne.
He'll set and row sae tightly,
or in the dance - sae sprightly -
he'll cut and shuffle slightly;
'tis true - were he not mine.

He wears a blue bonnet,
blue bonnet, blue bonnet;
he wears a blue bonnet,
a dimple in his chin.
And weel may the keel row,
the keel row, the keel row,
weel may the keel row
that my laddie's in.