Anonymous: Collected Lyrics
03 / 7
Public-domain lyrics

Comin' thro' the rye 2

Anonymous

“Comin' thro' the rye 2” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Anonymous: Collected Lyrics Text 3 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

Gin a body meet a body

Comin' through the rye,

Gin a body kiss a body,

Need a body cry?

Every lassie has her laddie,

Nane, they say, ha'e I!

Yet a' the lads they smile at me,

When comin' through the rye.

Amang the train there is a swain

I dearly lo'e mysell;

But whaur his hame, or what his name,

I dinna care to tell.

Gin a body meet a body,

Comin' frae the town,

Gin a body greet a body,

Need a body frown?

Every lassie has her laddie,

Nane, they say, ha'e I!

Yet a' the lads they smile at me,

When comin' through the rye.

Amang the train there is a swain,

I dearly lo'e mysell;

But whaur his hame, or what his name,

I dinna care to tell.

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, “Comin' thro' the rye 2”

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.
Keep tracing

More from Anonymous: Collected Lyrics.

01Auld Rob Morris 1Public-domain lyrics02Comin' thro' the rye 1Public-domain lyrics04Ettrick BanksPublic-domain lyrics05Fare ye weel, my Auld WifePublic-domain lyrics