by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)

It was the charming month of May
Language: Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  FRE
It was the charming month of May,
When all the flow'rs were fresh and gay.
One morning, by the break of day,
  The youthful, charming Chloe --
From peaceful slumber she arose,
Girt on her mantle and her hose,
And o'er the flow'ry mead she goes --
  The youthful, charming Chloe.

Chorus:
  [Lovely]1 was she by the dawn,
    [Youthful Chloe, charming Chloe]2,
  [Tripping]3 o'er the pearly lawn,
    The youthful, charming [Chloe]4.

The feather'd people you might see
Perch'd all around on every tree,
In notes of sweetest melody
  They hail the charming [Chloe]4;
Till, painting gay the eastern skies,
The glorious sun began to rise,
Outrival'd by the radiant eyes
  Of youthful, charming [Chloe]4.
     [Lovely]1 was she, &c.

Available sung texts:   ← What is this?

•   J. Haydn 

J. Haydn sets stanzas 2-3

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Burns, Robert. Poems and Songs. Vol. VI. The Harvard Classics. New York: P.F. Collier & Son, 1909–14. Tune: Daintie Davie

1 Haydn: "O lovely"
2 Haydn: "The sweetly smiling charming Anne"
3 Haydn: "When tripping"
4 Haydn: "Anne"

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):

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-04-02
Line count: 22
Word count: 115