Burns's song is partially a recollection of Allan Ramsay's poem, "The Bob of Dunblane," published in his "Miscellaneous Works" in 1724:

Lassie, lend me your braw Hemp Heckle,
And I'll lend you my Thrippling Kame;
For Fainness, Dearie, I'll gar ye keckle,
If ye'll go dance the Bob of Dunblane.
Hast ye, gang to the Ground of ye'r Trunkies,
Busk ye braw, and dinna think Shame;
Consider in Time, if leading of Monkies
Be better than dancing the Bob of Dunblane.

Be frank, my Lassie, lest I grow fickle,
And tak my Word and Offer again,
Syne ye may chance to repent it mickle,
Ye didna accept of the Bob of Dunblane.
The Dinner, the Piper and Priest shall be ready,
And I'm grown dowie with lying my lane,
Away then leave baith Minny and Dad[d]y,
And try with me the Bob of Dunblane.