Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

The Laddies by the Banks o' Nith

Robert Burns

“The Laddies by the Banks o' Nith” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 394 1887 · historical text
Public domainScottish songSong lyrics
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

The laddies by the banks o' Nith,

Wad trust his Grace wi' a', Jamie,

But he'll sair them as he sair'd the king—

Turn tail and rin awa, Jamie.

Verse 2

Up and waur them a', Jamie,

Up and waur them a';

The Johnstons hae the guidin' o't,

Ye turncoat Whigs, awa.

Verse 3

The day he stude his country's friend,

Or gied her faes a claw, Jamie,

Or frae puir man a blessin' wan,

That day the duke ne'er saw, Jamie.

Verse 4

But wha is he, his country's boast?

Like him there is na twa, Jamie;

There's no a callant tents the kye,

But kens o' Westerha', Jamie.

Verse 5

To end the wark, here's Whistlebirck,

Lang may his whistle blaw. Jamie;

And Maxwell true o' sterling blue,

And we'll be Johnstons a', Jamie.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. Historical text published in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887), “The Laddies by the Banks o' Nith”

Every text in this 1887 collected edition is by Robert Burns (1759-1796), who died more than 230 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination and a pre-1931 United States publication.

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 2026-10-25. 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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