Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Carle, an the king come

Traditional

“Carle, an the king come” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 77 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

Carle, an the king come,

Carle, an the king come,

Thou shalt dance and I will sing,

Carle, an the king come.

An somebody were come again,

Then some body maun cross the main;

And every man shall ha'e his ain,

Carle, an the king come.

I trow we swappit for the worse;

We ga'e the boot and better horse;

And that we'll tell them at the corse,

Carle, an the king come.

When yellow corn grows on the rigs,

And gibbets stand to hang the Whigs,

O, then we'll a' dance Scottish jigs,

Carle, an the king come.

Nae mair wi' pinch and drouth we'll dine,

As we ha'e done—a dog's propine—

But quaff our draughts o' rosy wine,

Carle, an the king come.

Cogie, an the king come,

Cogie, an the king come,

I'se be fou' and thou'se be toom.

Cogie, an the king come.

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, “Carle, an the king come”

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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