Traditional: Collected Lyrics
131 / 291
Public-domain lyrics

Gloamin'

Traditional

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

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 131 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

There's naething on yirth,

I ken to compare,

Wi' a walk in the gloamin',

To snuff the fresh air;

To frisk like a gawky,

When naebody sees,

An' jouk like a maukin

Amang the green trees.

O! the sweets o' the gloamin',

How delicious they are!

O! the young lover's dream

Is behint them by far.

When ye gang through the streets

O' our blethrin' wee town,

Your best ye maun try a

Lang face to ha'e on

In the gloamin' ye sen'

A' sic havers awa',

In the micht o' your freedom

Fu' crousely ye craw.

O! the sweets, &c.

And should you some lo'ed ane,

When wandering, meet,

The shake o' the han', O!

How cordial, how sweet!

Ye feel, then, true pleasure,

Unmixed wi' alloy,

Warld's things ye forget

In th' excess o' your joy.

O! the sweets, &c.

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, “Gloamin'”

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