by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Saw ye Johnnie comin', quo' she See original
Language: English
Saw ye Johny cumin, quo' she, Saw ye Johny cumin: Wi' his blew bonnet on his head, And his dogie rinnin, quo' she, And his dogie rinnin? Fee him, father, fee him, quo' she, Fee him, father, fee him; For he is a gallant lad, and a weil-doin, quo' she, And a' the wark about the house Gaes wi' me when I see him, quo'she, Gaes wi' me when I see him. What wad I do wi' him, hussy What wad I do wi' him? He has ne'er a sark upon his back, And I hae nane to gie him. I hae twa sarks in my kist neuk, And ane of them I'll gie him: And for a merk of mair fee, Dinna stand wi' him, Father, Dinna stand wi' him. 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 ha'd the pleugh, thrash in the barn, And crack wi' me at e'en, quo' she, And crack wi' me at e'en.
Glossary:
Fee = hire
Kist = chest
Merk = silver coin
Ha'd the pleugh = hold the plough
Crack = converse
Composition:
- Set to music by Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847), "Saw ye Johnnie comin', quo' she", 1839 [ duet for bass and soprano with piano ], from Six Scottish Folksongs (Sechs schottische Nationallieder), no. 4
Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, "Fee him, father, fee him"
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2010-01-10
Line count: 27
Word count: 183