Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Leddie Anne

Traditional

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

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 230 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

The primrose blooms beneath the brae,

The burn rins rowin' clear;

The laverock lilts nae sound o' wae,

But wha my heart sall cheer;

Or wha will tent my bonnie bairn,

Sae like my fause, fause luve?

Or wha, when I am dead and gane,

Its tender plaints will muve?

Yestreen they ca'd me leddie Anne,

The bonniest o' them a';

The day my cheeks are howe an' wan,

An' this wild glen's my ha':

Yestreen I had six bower maidens

To do what I thocht meet,

The day I lie on the cauld green grass,

An' hear my baby greet.

An' its a' for thee, my fause, fause luve,

That I maun dree sae sair,

An' for my cruel father's wrath,

Wha I maun ne'er see mair.

But it's little pain ha'e I to thole,

Or grief ha'e I to dree,

The grave is calm; but wha will heed,

My bonnie bairn, for thee.

Let the wounded doe skipp ower the mead,

Bring comfort to despair,

But she wha tines her maiden fame

Can ne'er taste pleasure mair;

Then, gracious heaven, be not wroth

Wi' ane sae sair beguil'd,

Forgive them a' that did me wrang,

An' save, O, save my child!

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, “Leddie Anne”

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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