William Wilson: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Jeanie Graham 2

William Wilson

“Jeanie Graham 2” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

William Wilson: Collected Lyrics Text 2 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

She whose lang loose unbraided hair

Falls on a breast o' purest snaw,

Was ance a maid as mild an' fair,

As e'er wil'd stripling's heart awa'.

But sorrow's shade has dimm'd her e'e,

And gather'd round her happy hame,

Yet wherefore sad? and where is he,

The plighted love of Jeanie Graham?

The happy bridal day was near,

And blythe young joy beam'd on her brow,

But he is low she lov'd so dear,

And she a virgin widow now.

The night was mirk, the stream was high,

And deep and darkly down it came;

He sunk—and wild his drowning cry

Rose in the blast to Jeanie Graham.

Bright beams the sun on Garnet hill,

The stream is calm, the sky is clear;

But Jeanie's lover's heart is still,

Her anguish'd sobs he cannot hear.

Oh! make his grave in yonder dell,

Where willows wave above the stream,

That every passing breeze may wail,

For broken-hearted Jeanie Graham.

Credits

Written by William Wilson

Words by William Wilson. 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, “Jeanie Graham 2”

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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