Intro: D-Bm-G-D
There was (D)twa recruiting (Bm)sergeants came (Em)frae the Black Watch
Tae (G)markets and (D)fairs,
some re(Em)cruits for tae (A)catch.
But (G)a' that they (D)'listed was (Em)forty and (Bm)twa:
En(D)list my bonnie
(Bm)laddie an' (G)come a(D)wa.
Chorus
And it's (D)over the (Bm)mountains and (Em)over the Main,
(G)Through Gi(D)bralter, to (Em)France and (A)Spain.
Pit a (G)feather tae your (D)bonnet, and a (Em)kilt aboon your
(Bm)knee,
En(D)list my bonnie (Bm)laddie and (G)come awa with (D)me.
Its (D)out o’ the (Bm)barn and (Em)into the byre,
Well (G)this ole (D)farmer, he (Em)thinks
ye never (A)tire.
It's a (G)slavery (D)job, of (Em)low de(Bm)gree.
Sae (D)list my bonnie (Bm)laddie and (G)come awa
with (D)me
Chorus
Oh (D)laddie ye (Bm)dinna ken the (Em)danger that yer in.
If yer (G)horses was to (D)fleg, and
yer (Em)owsen was to (A)rin,
This (G)greedy ole (D)farmer, he (Em)wouldna pay yer (Bm)fee.
Sae (D)list my bonnie (Bm)laddie
and (G)come awa wi' (D)me
Chorus
+ Intro
Optional verse (not used by the McCalmans)
With (D)your tattie (Bm)porin's and yer (Em)meal and kale,
Yer (G)soor sowan' (D)soorin's and
yer (Em)ill-brewed (A)ale,
Yer (G)buttermilk, yer (D)whey, and yer (Em)breid fired (Bm)raw.
Sae (D)list my bonnie
(Bm)laddie and (G)come a(D)wa.
Chorus
O (D)laddie (Bm)if ye had a (Em)sweetheart an' a bairn,
Ye'll (G)easily get (D)rid o' that (Em)ill-spun
(A)yarn.
Twa (G)rattles o' the (D)drum, aye and (Em)that'll pay it (Bm)a'.
Sae (D)list my bonnie (Bm)laddie and (G)come
a(D)wa.
Chorus
twice
Meaning of unusual words:
twa=two
awa=away
aboon=above
bonnie=handsome
fleg=take fright
owsen=oxen
rin=run
Tattie pourin's=water in which pototoes have been boiled.
kale=a kind
of crinkly cabbage
Soor sooin' sourin's sowans = a dish made by steeping and fermenting the husks or siftings
of oats
in water, then boiling.
whey=liquid left when milk forms into lumps.
aye=yes
