Traditional Scottish Songs
- Johnny Lad

Here is a lively, traditional song, with a bit of nonsense thrown in.


Johnny Lad

I bought a wife in Edinburgh for a bawbee.
I got a farthing back again tae buy tobacco wi'.

Chorus
And wi' you and wi' you and wi' 'you Johnny Lad.
I'll dance the buckles off my shoon
Wi' you, my Johnny Lad.

As I was walking early I chanced to see the Queen,
She was playing at the fitba' wi' the lads in Glasgow Green.

Chorus

The captain o' the ither side was scoring wi' great style,
So the Queen she cried a polisman and she clapped him in the jyle.

Chorus

Noo Samson was a michty man. He focht wl' cuddies' jaws
And he won a score o' battles wearing crimson flannel drawers.

Chorus

There was a man o' Nineveh and he was wondrous wise.
He louped intae a bramble bush and scratched oot baith his eyes.

Chorus

And when he saw his eyes wis oot he wis gey troubled then
So he louped intae anither bush and scratched them in again.

Chorus

Noo Johnny is a bonny lad, he is a lad o' mine.
I've never had a better lad and I've had twenty-nine.

Chorus

Meaning of unusual words:
bawbee=six pence Scots (or half a penny in English money)
farthing=a quarter of a penny
shoon=shoes
jyle=jail
cuddies'=horses'
drawers=underpants
louped=jumped
gey=very

Return to the Index of Traditional Scottish Songs




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