by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)

Gin a body meet a body
Language: English 
Gin a body meet a body
Comin’ thro’ the rye,
Gin a body kiss a body,
Need a body cry?

Ilka lassie has her laddie,
Nane they say ha’e I;
Yet a’ the lads they smile to me,
When comin’ thro’ the rye.

Gin a body meet a body
Comin’ frae the well,
Gin a body kiss a body,
Need a body tell?

Ilka lassie has her laddie,
Ne’er a ane ha’e I;
But a’ the lads they smile on me,
When comin’ thro’ the rye.

Gin a body meet a body
Comin’ frae the toun,
Gin a body greet a body,
Need a body gloom?

Ilka lassie has her laddie,
Nane they say ha’e I;
But a’ the lads they lo’e me weel,
And what the waur am I?

Glossary
gin = if, should
ilka = each, every
nane = none
a' = all
frae = from
ane = one
toun = town
waur = worse


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Helen Hopekirk (1856 - 1945), "Gin a body meet a body", subtitle: "Comin' thro' the rye", published 1905, copyright © 1905 [voice and piano], Oliver Ditson Company [ sung text checked 1 time]

Set in a modified version by Cyril Meir Scott.


Researcher for this page: Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2019-03-07
Line count: 24
Word count: 130