SA 1970/180/A3. Recorded from Angus Russell, Kilwinning, Ayrshire by Peter Cooke, August 1970.
BURKE AND HARE
To help the folk at medical school Word is spread around. A body nae mair than ten days' auld Will bring in fourteen pund. It's a terrible thing, but true to say In this age o' grace A man's worth muckle when alive But plenty when he's deid.
Refrain An it's doon the close an up the stair A but and ben with Burke an Hare. Burke's the butcher an Hare's the thief And Knox is the man that buys the beef.
An in the dark o' mony a nicht When a' guid folk are sleepin', By the dyke an in the kirkyaird Come two shadows creepin'. An many a man that's cauld richt throu ' An safely laid away, He never thocht it wasnae the last He'd seen the licht o' day
Refrain
But no content wi howkin deid - A ploy that aye gets harder - They started pickin healthy folk And then committin murder. And in the dark to the countryside Creeps a fearsome pair: Be ye man or wife or wean Ye're no safe frae Burke an Hare.
Refrain
But noo Auld Reekie can sleep at last These twa will trade nae mair: It's the gallows-tree for William Burke And a pauper's grave for Hare
Refrain
But is there an earlier source? I see it's in a book titled Come Gie's a Sang. Anybody have that one?