Traditional Scottish Songs
- Willie Brew'd a Peck o' Maut

Robert Burns and his friend Allan Masterton William Nicol in the autumn of 1789. They had a most enjoyable evening and the result was this song, with the words by Burns and the music by Masterton. The "Willie, Rob and Allan in the first verse are the three cronies who had such a convivial evening.


Willie Brew'd a Peck o' Maut

Chorus
We are na fou, we're nae that fou,
But just a drappie in our e'e!
The cook may craw, the day may daw,
And ay we'll taste the barley-bree!

O Willie brew'd a peck o' maut,
And Rob and Allan cam to see;
Three blyther hearts that lee-lang night
Ye wad na found in Christendie.

Chorus

Here are we met, three merry boys,
Three merry boys I trow are we;
And monie a night we've merry been,
And monie mae we hope to be!

Chorus

It is the moon, I ken her horn,
That's blinkin in the lift sae hie:
She shines sae bright to wyle us hame,
But, by my sooth, she'll wait a wee!

Chorus

Wha first shall rise to gang awa,
A cuckold, coward loun is he!
Wha first beside his chair shall. fa',
He is the King amang us three!

Chorus

Meaning of unusual words:
maut=malt (whisky)
fou=drunk
drappie=droplet
daw=dawn
ay=always
barley bree=whisky
lee-lang=live-long
ken=know
blinkin=glinting
lift=sky
wyle=lure
by my sooth=upon my word
loun=fool

Return to the Index of Traditional Scottish Songs




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