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Public-domain lyrics

Life aye has been

unknown author

“Life aye has been” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

unknown author: Collected Lyrics Text 14 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

Life aye has been a weary roun'

Whare expectation's bluntet,

Whare hope gets mony a crackit crown,

An' patience, sairly duntet,

Alang the road rins hirplin' down

Beside neglectit merit,

Whase heart gi'es mony a weary stoun',

And broken is his spirit.

But de'il me care though fate whiles glooms,

Gae, lassie, heat the water:

Wi' fate we'll never fash our thumbs,

But gar the gill-stoup clatter.

Punch is a sea whare care ne'er sooms,

But pleasure rides it rarely,

We'll fill again whan this ane tooms,

Then let us set till't fairly.

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, “Life aye has been”

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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