Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

My Ain Wife

Traditional

“My Ain Wife” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 266 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 wadna gi'e my ain wife

For ony wife I see;

I wadna gi'e my ain wife

For ony wife I see;

A bonnier yet I've never seen,

A better canna be—

I wadna gi'e my ain wife

For ony wife I see!

O couthie is my ingle-cheek,

An' cheerie is my Jean;

I never see her angry look,

Nor hear her word on ane.

She's gude wi' a' the neebours roun',

An' aye gude wi' me—

I wadna gi'e my ain wife

For ony wife I see!

An' O her looks sae kindlie,

They melt my heart outright,

When o'er the baby at her breast

She hangs wi' fond delight;

She looks intill its bonnie face,

An' syne looks to me—

I wadna gi'e my ain wife

For ony wife I see.

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, “My Ain Wife”

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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