This is the song as sung by the Black family:


THE PLOUGHBOY LADS

Ah well I was na but sweet sixteen
With beauty chance a blooming oh
It's little little did I think
At nineteen I'd be grieving oh

Chorus:

Well the ploughboy lads they're all brau lads
But they're false and they're deceiving oh
They'll take your all and they'll gang away
And leave the lassies greetin' oh

Ah well I was fond of company
And I gave the ploughboy freedom oh
To kiss and clap me in the dark
When all me friends were sleeping oh

Well if I did know what I know now
And I took me mothers biddin' oh
I wouldn't be sittin' by our fireside
Crying hush a ba my baby oh

Well it's hush a ba for I'm your ma
But the Lord knows who's your daddy Oh
And I'll take care and I'll beware
Of the ploughboys in the gloaming oh


They learnt the song from the Scottish singer, Jeannie Robertson, but changed it around a bit. Here is her version:


WHEN I WAS NOU BUT SWEET SIXTEEN

When I was nou but sweet sixteen,
In beauty jist in bloomin' O;
O little, little did I think
At nineteen I'd be greetin' O.

Refrain:

O the plooman lads, they're gey weel lads,
They're false and deceivin' O;
They sail awa' and they gang awa'
And they leave their lassies greetin' O.

O hishie ba, O I'm your ma,
But the Lord kens fa's your daddie O;
For I wouldnae be sittin' at your fireside
Cryin' hishie ba, my bairnie O.

For if I hadda kent whit I dae ken,
An' taen my mither's biddin' O,
I wouldnae be sittin' at your fireside
Cryin' hishie ba, my bairnie O.


I'll send a midi of Jeannie's tune to Alan'sMudcat Midi Pages, but it may take some time to appear there.

Malcolm