Traditional: Collected Lyrics
114 / 291
Public-domain lyrics

Farewell to Avondale

Traditional

“Farewell to Avondale” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 114 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

Farewell, ye vales where Avon flows,

Farewell, ye hills that rise around,

Farewell, abodes of sweet repose,

Where innocence and peace abound.

No more beside your streams I'll stray,

Nor pu' the wild flowers as they blaw;

No longer listen to the lay,

That's carol'd through the birken shaw.

Farewell, Pomilion's flowery braes,

Whose murmuring rills so sweetly fa',

Where aft I've spent the summer days,

When sorrow's hand was far awa'!

Thou'st listen'd to the lover's wail,

As am'rously thou glided through;

Thou'st listen'd to my artless tale,

But never heard'st a tale so true.

Farewell, thou dear ungratefii' maid,

Thou'lt mind me when I'm far awa';

And but for thee, I might have staid,

To breathe the gales that round thee blaw.

Thou knew'st my heart was a' thy ain,

And thine thou vow'dst was mine alone;

But cursed gold has made us twain,

Whom heaven had fated to be one.

Farewell, thou still beloved maid,

Love, rage, and grief, my soul disarms;

For never, never could I've staid,

To see thee in another's arms.

No more by Avon's streams we'll stray,

Nor pu' the wild flowers as they blaw;

No longer listen to the lay,

That's carol'd through the birken shaw.

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, “Farewell to Avondale”

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.
Keep tracing

More from Traditional: Collected Lyrics.

01A good old SongPublic-domain lyrics02I canna be fashedPublic-domain lyrics03It's weel it's nae waurPublic-domain lyrics04'Twas na her bonnie blue e'ePublic-domain lyrics