Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Kirk wad let me be

Traditional

“Kirk wad let me be” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 217 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

I am a puir silly auld man,

And hirplin' ower a tree;

Yet fain, fain kiss wad I,

Gin the kirk wad let me be.

Gin a' my duds were aff,

And guid haill claes put on,

O, I could kiss a young lass

As weel as ony man.

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, “Kirk wad let me be”

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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