unknown author: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Fee him, Father

unknown author

“Fee him, Father” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

unknown author: Collected Lyrics Text 5 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

Saw ye Johnny comin', quo' she,

Saw ye Johnny comin'.

Saw ye Johnny comin', quo' she,

Saw ye Johnny comin;

Saw ye Johnny comin', quo' she,

Saw ye Johnny comin';

Wi' his blue bonnet on his head,

And his doggie rinnin', quo' she,

And his doggie rinnin'?

Fee him, father, fee him, quo' she,

Fee him, father, fee him;

Fee him, father, fee him, quo' she,

Fee him, father, fee him;

For he is a gallant lad,

And a weel-doin';

And a' the wark about the house,

Gaes wi' me when I see him, quo' she,

Wi' me when I see him.

What will I do wi' him, quo' he,

What will I do wi' him?

He's ne'er a sark upon his back,

And I ha'e nane to gi'e him.

I ha'e twa sarks into my kist,

And ane o' them I'll gi'e him;

And for a merk o' mair fee

Dinna stand wi' him, quo' she,

Dinna stand wi' him.

For weel do I lo'e him, quo' she,

Weel do I lo'e him;

For weel do I lo'e him, quo' she,

Weel do I lo'e him.

O fee him, father, fee him. quo' she,

Fee him, father, fee him;

He'll haud the pleugh, thrash in the barn,

And crack wi' me at e'en, quo' she,

And crack wi' me at e'en.

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, “Fee him, Father”

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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