William Paul: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Bonnie Jeanie Gray

William Paul

“Bonnie Jeanie Gray” as printed in The Scottish Minstrel (First Series) (1850).

William Paul: Collected Lyrics Text 2 1850 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Scottish Minstrel (First Series), a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Oh! whar was ye sae late yestreen?

My bonnie Jeanie Gray,

Your mither miss'd you into at e'en,

And eke at break o' day.

Your mither look'd sae sour and sad,

Your father dull and wae,

Oh! whar was ye sae late yestreen?

My bonnie Jeanie Gray.

Verse 2

Dear sister, sit ye down by me,

And let naebody ken,

For I hae promis'd late yestreen,

To wed young Jamie Glen.

The melting tear stood in his e'e,

What heart could say him nay?

As aft he vow'd, thro' life I'm thine,

My bonnie Jeanie Gray.

Credits

Written by William Paul

Words by William Paul. Historical text published in The Scottish Minstrel (First Series) (1850); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Scottish Minstrel (First Series) (1850), “Bonnie Jeanie Gray”

Every contribution in this 1850 anthology predates modern copyright terms; any contributor died more than 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide.

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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