Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Lizzy Lindsay

Robert Burns

“Lizzy Lindsay” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 59 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

Will ye gang wi' me, Lizzy Lindsay,

Will ye gang to the Highlands wi' me?

Will ye gang wi' me, Lizzy Lindsay,

My bride and my darling to be?

To gang to the Highlands wi' you, sir,

I dinna ken how that may be,

For I ken nae the land that ye live in,

Nor ken I the lad I'm gaun wi'.

O Lizzy, lass, ye maun ken little,

If sae ye dinna ken me;

For my name is Lord Ronald MacDonald,

A chieftain o' high degree.

She has kilted her coats o' green satin,

She has kilted them up to the knee,

And she's aff wi' Lord Ronald MacDonald,

His bride and his darling to be.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns (died 1796). 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, “Lizzy Lindsay”

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). The credited author died in 1796.

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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