Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Genty Tibby

Traditional

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

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 122 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

Tibby has a store o' charms,

Her genty shape our fancy warms;

How strangely can her sma' white arms

Fetter the lad who looks but at her;

Fra'er ancle to her slender waste,

These sweets conceal'd invite to dawt her;

Her rosy cheek, and rising breast,

Gar ane's mouth gush bowt fu' o' water.

Nelly's gawsy, saft and gay,

Fresh as the lucken flowers in May;

Ilk ane that sees her, cries, Ah hey,

She's bonny! O I wonder at her.

The dimples of her chin and cheek,

And limbs sae plump invite to dawt her;

Her lips sae sweet, and skin sae sleek,

Gar mony mouths beside mine water.

Now strike my finger in a bore,

My wyson with the maiden shore,

Gin I can tell whilk I am for,

When these twa stars appear thegither.

O love! why does thou gi'e thy fires

Sae large, while we're oblig'd to neither?

Our spacious sauls immense desires,

And aye be in a hankerin' swither.

Tibby's shape and airs are fine,

And Nelly's beauties are divine:

But since they canna baith be mine,

Ye gods, give ear to my petition:

Provide a good lad for the tane,

But let it be with this provision,

I get the other to my lane,

In prospect plano and fruition.

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, “Genty Tibby”

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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