Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Dundee

Traditional

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

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 102 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

Fare thee weel, thou bonnie river,

Rowin' by my ain Dundee;

Aft in days gane by for ever,

Thou hast borne my love and me.

Thou hast heard, in days departed,

Vows that nane could hear but thee;

Now thou seest me broken-hearted—

Tay, adieu! adieu, Dundee!

On thy waves a light is fa'in',

Ruddy as the rose in June;

Some may trow it is the dawin'

Glinting frae the lift abune:

But I ken thou'rt only blushing

That a maid so false could be!

Like thy springs my tears are gushing—

Tay, adieu! adieu, Dundee!

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, “Dundee”

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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