Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

O Tibbie, I Hae Seen The Day

Scottish Song By Robert Burns

The tune Invercauld's Reel, written in the 1700s, inspired Robert Burns to write O Tibbie, I Hae Seen The Day in 1771-1779.

Related Scottish Country Dances

Invercauld's Reel

O Tibbie, I Hae Seen The Day - By Robert Burns

Chorus
O Tibbie, I hae seen the day,
Ye wadna been sae shy;
For laik o' gear ye lightly me,
But, trowth, I care na by.

Yestreen I met you on the moor,
Ye spak na, but gaed by like stour;
Ye geck at me because I'm poor,
But fient a hair care I.

Chorus

When coming hame on Sunday last,
Upon the road as I cam past,
Ye snufft and ga'e your head a cast-
But trowth I care't na by.

Chorus

I doubt na, lass, but ye may think,
Because ye hae the name o' clink,
That ye can please me at a wink,
Whene'er ye like to try.

Chorus

But sorrow tak' him that's sae mean,
Altho' his pouch o' coin were clean,
Wha follows ony saucy quean,
That looks sae proud and high.

Chorus

Altho' a lad were e'er sae smart,
If that he want the yellow dirt,
Ye'll cast your head anither airt,
And answer him fu' dry.

Chorus

But, if he hae the name o' gear,
Ye'll fasten to him like a brier,
Tho' hardly he, for sense or lear,
Be better than the kye.

Chorus

But, Tibbie, lass, tak' my advice:
Your daddie's gear maks you sae nice;
The deil a ane wad speir your price,
Were ye as poor as I.

Chorus

There lives a lass beside yon park,
I'd rather hae her in her sark,
Than you wi' a' your thousand mark;
That gars you look sae high.

Chorus


O Tibbie, I Hae Seen The Day Song Video

O Tibbie, I Hae Seen The Day Song - Information Video
O Tibbie, I Hae Seen The Day
O Tibbie, I Hae Seen The Day, From Glen Collection Of Printed Music, Collection Of Ancient And Modern Scottish Ballads, Tales And Songs, Volume 2, Page 288


The Online Scots Dictionary Translate Scots To English.
Published in https://www.robertburns.org/works/o-tibbie-i-hae-seen-the-day/
Published in http://www.robertburnsfederation.com/poems/translations/o_tibbie_i_hae_seen_the_day.htm (with translation).
Image copyright (cropped) https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/87728190 under this Creative Commons Licence 4.0.

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