Allan Cunningham: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Hame, hame, hame

Allan Cunningham

“Hame, hame, hame” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Allan Cunningham: Collected Lyrics Text 2 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Hame! hame! hame! O hame fain wad I be!

O, hame, hame, hame, to my ain countrie!

When the flower is i' the bud, and the leaf is on the tree,

The lark shall sing me hame to my ain countrie.

Hame, hame, hame! O hame fain wad I be!

O hame, hame, hame, to my ain countrie!

The green leaf o' loyaltie's beginning now to fa';

The bonnie white rose it is withering an' a';

But we'll water't wi' the blude of usurping tyrannie,

And fresh it shall blaw in my ain countrie!

Hame, hame, hame! O hame fain wad I be

O hame, hame, hame, to my ain countrie!

O there's nocht now frae ruin my countrie can save,

But the keys o' kind heaven, to open the grave,

That a' the noble martyrs, who died for loyaltie,

May rise again and fight for their ain countrie.

Hame, hame, hame! O hame fain wad I be!

O hame, hame, hame, to my ain countrie!

The great now are gane, wha attempted to save;

The green grass is growing abune their graves;

Yet the sun through the mirk seems to promise to me

I'll shine on ye yet in your ain countrie.

Hame, hame, hame! hame fain wad I be!

O hame, hame, hame, to my ain countrie!

Credits

Written by Allan Cunningham

Words by Allan Cunningham. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “Hame, hame, hame”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

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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