Alexander Carlyle: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Wha's at the Window, wha

Alexander Carlyle

“Wha's at the Window, wha” as printed in The Scottish Minstrel (First Series) (1850).

Alexander Carlyle: Collected Lyrics Text 1 1850 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Scottish Minstrel (First Series), a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Wha's at the window, wha, wha?

O wha's at the window, wha, wha?

Wha but blithe Jamie Glen,

He's come sax miles and ten,

To tak bonnie Jeanie awa, awa,

To tak bonnie Jeanie awa.

Verse 2

Bridal maidens are braw, braw,

O bridal maidens are braw, braw;

But the bride's modest e'e,

And warm cheek are to me,

'Boon pearlens and brooches, an' a', an' a',

'Boon pearlens and brooches, an' a'.

Verse 3

There's mirth on the green, in the ha', the ha',

There's mirth on the green, in the ha', the ha',

There's laughing, there's quaffing,

There's jesting, there's daffing,

But the bride's father's blithest of a', of a',

But the bride's father's blithest of a',

Verse 4

It's no that she's Jamie's ava, ava,

It's no that she's Jamie's ava, ava,

That my hoart is sae weary,

When a' the lave's cheerie,

But it's just that she'll aye be awa, awa,

But it's just that she'll aye be awa.

Credits

Written by Alexander Carlyle

Words by Alexander Carlyle. Historical text published in The Scottish Minstrel (First Series) (1850); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Scottish Minstrel (First Series) (1850), “Wha's at the Window, wha”

Every contribution in this 1850 anthology predates modern copyright terms; any contributor died more than 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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