Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

A' body's like to be married

Traditional

“A' body's like to be married” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 7 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

As Jenny sat down wi' her wheel by the fire,

An' thought o' the time that was fast fleein' by'er,

She said to hersel' wi' a heavy hoch hie,

Oh! a' body's like to be married but me.

My youthfu' companions are a' worn awa',

And though I've had wooers mysel' ane or twa;

Yet a lad to my mind I ne'er could yet see,

Oh! a' body's like to be married but me.

There's Lowrie, the lawyer, would ha'e me fu' fain

Who has baith a house an' a yard o' his ain:

But before I'd gang to it I rather wad die,

A wee stumpin' body! he'll never get me.

There's Dickey, my cousin, frae Lunnun cam' down,

Wi' fine yellow buskins that dazzled the town;

But, puir deevil, he got ne'er a blink o' my e'e,

Oh! a' body's like to be married but me.

But I saw a lad by yon saughie burn side,

Wha weel wad deserve ony queen for his bride,

Gin I had my will soon his ain I would be,

Oh! a' body's like to be married but me.

I gied him a look, as a kind lassie should,

My frien's, if they kenn'd it, would surely run wud;

For tho' bonnieand guid, he's no worth a bawbee,

Oh! a' body's like to be married but me.

'Tis hard to tak' shelter behint a laigh dyke,

'Tis hard for to tak' ane we never can like,

'Tis hard for to leave ane we fain wad be wi'

Yet it is harder that a' should be married but me.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. 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, “A' body's like to be married”

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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