Andrew G. Bain: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Lament for Jamie

Andrew G. Bain

“Lament for Jamie” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Andrew G. Bain: Collected Lyrics Text 1 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

Sweet as May morning, the heath hills adorning,

Decking with pearl the green flowery lea;

Sweet sing the thrushes among the hawthorn bushes,

But sweeter by far was my Jamie to me.

Dirk, dark and drearie, the moment was eerie,

When the grim tyrant, by fatal decree,

Snatch'd aff my treasure, my whole care and pleasure,

Wha now sleeps in death 'neath the dark rolling sea.

Lanely I wander whare burnies meander,

Blythely the birds sing on ilka green tree;

Nature looks cheerie — but waes me, I'm weary,

Joy fled wi' him wha sleeps cauld in the sea.

Nae mair in the gloamin' I'll gaylie be roamin',

To meet wi' my darling beneath the haw tree,

Where kindly he'd press me, and fondly caress me—

My heart's still wi' him, though he's cauld in the sea.

Vain are life's pleasures, its beauties and treasures—

Sweet spring the gowans adorning the lea:

Winter comes blasting, no longer they're lasting,

But nipt in the bloom like my Jamie frae me.

Waukin' or sleeping I'm mourning and weeping:

Thinking on Jamie tears gush frae my e'e;

Pleasure forsakes me, and sorrow o'ertakes me;

Death now alone my consoler must be.

Credits

Written by Andrew G. Bain

Words by Andrew G. Bain. 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, “Lament for Jamie”

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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