unknown author: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Corn Rigs

unknown author

“Corn Rigs” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

unknown author: Collected Lyrics Text 4 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

"O, corn rigs, and rye rigs.

And corn rigs are bonnie.

And gin ye meet a bonnie lass,

Prin up her cockemony."

Verse 2

My Patie is a lover gay;

His mind is never muddy;

His breath is sweeter than new hay;

His face is fair and ruddy.

His shape is handsome middle size;

He's stately in his walking;

The shining of his een surprise;

'Tis heaven to hear him talking.

Last night I met him on a bauk,

Where yellow corn was growins;

There mony a kindly word he spake,

That set my heart a-glowing.

He kiss'd, and vow'd he wad be mine,

And lo'ed me best of ony;

That gars me like to sing sinsyne,

O corn-rigs are bonny.

Let maidens of a silly mind

Refuse what maist they're wanting;

Since we for yielding are design'd,

We chastely should be granting.

Then I'll comply and mairy Pate;

And syne my cockernony

He's free to touzle air or late,

When corn-rigs are bonny.

Credits

Written by unknown author

Words by unknown author. 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, “Corn Rigs”

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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