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Public-domain lyrics

Auld Rob Morris 1

Anonymous

“Auld Rob Morris 1” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Anonymous: 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

Auld Rob Morris, that wons in yon glen,

He's the king o' guid fallows, and wale o' auld men;

He has fourscore o' black sheep, and fourscore too;

Auld Rob Morris is the man ye maun lo'e.

Verse 2

Haud your tongue, mother, and let that abee;

For his eild and my eild can never agree:

They'll never agree, and that will be seen,

For he is fourscore, and I'm but fifteen.

Verse 3

Haud your tongue, dochter, and lay by your pride,

For he is the bridegroom, and ye'se be the bride;

He shall lie by your side, and kiss you too;

Auld Rob Morris is the man ye maun lo'e.

Verse 4

Auld Rob Morris, I ken him fu' weel,

His bac' sticks out like ony peat-creel;

He's out-shinn'd, in-kneed, and ringle-eyed too;

Auld Rob Morris is the man I'll ne'er lo'e.

Verse 5

Though auld Rob Morris be an elderly man,

Yet his auld brass will buy you a new pan;

Then, dochter, ye should na be sae ill to shoe,

For auld Rob Morris is the man ye maun lo'e.

Verse 6

But auld Rob Morris I never will ha'e,

His back is so stiff, and his beard is grown gray;

I had rather die than live wi' him a year;

Sae mair o' Rob Morris I never will hear.

Credits

Written by Anonymous

Words by Anonymous. 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, “Auld Rob Morris 1”

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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