William Reid: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Cauld Kail in Aberdeen 3

William Reid

“Cauld Kail in Aberdeen 3” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

William Reid: Collected Lyrics Text 1 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

There's cauld kail in Aberdeen,

And bannocks in Strathbogie,

But naething drives awa' the spleen

Sae weel's a social cogie.

That mortal's life nae pleasure shares

Wha broods o'er a' that's fogie:

Whane'er I'm fash't wi' worldly cares,

I drown them in a cogie.

Thus merrily my time I pass,

With spirits brisk and vogie,

Blest wi' my bulks and my sweet lass,

My cronies and my cogie.

Then haste and gi'e's an auld Scots sang

Sic like as Kathrine Ogie;

A gude auld sang comes never wrang,

When o'er a social cogie.

Credits

Written by William Reid

Words by William Reid. 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, “Cauld Kail in Aberdeen 3”

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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