Lyr Add: A' Body's Like to Be Married But Me

Subject: Lyr Add: THE NEGLECTIT LASSIE (Duncan Gray)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 May 22 - 07:41 PM

It seems this song was first published as a poem:

From The Scots Magazine, Vol. 64, Edinburgh, July, 1802, p. 593:

For the Scots Magazine.

THE NEGLECTIT LASSIE.
Duncan Gray

AS Bessy sat down wi’ her seam at the fire,
She thought on the time that was fast gaun by’er,
And said to herself, wi’ a heavy hiegh-hie,
Oh, a’ body’s like to be married but me.

My youthfu’ companions are a’ worn awa,
And though I’ve had woers myself ane or twa,
A man to my mind ne’er yet proffer’d his loe,
Oh, a’ body’s like to be married but me.

There’s Geordie the lawyer, wad hae me fu fain,
And he’s bought a house, a’ wi’ gear o’ his ain,
But ere I gang in till’t, a maiden I’ll die,
A wee stumpin’ bodie shall never get me.

Syne Tammy, my cousin, frae Lon’on came down,
Wi’ wide yellow buckskins that dazzled the town,
Poor d—l, he gatna a blink o’ my e’e,
Oh, a’ body’s like to be married but me.

But I met a lad by the sauchy burn side,
Wha well wad deserv’d ony queen for his bride,
Gin I’d had my will then, the tale sudna’ be,
That a’ body’s like to be married but me.

I gied him a look as a kind lassie shoud,
My friends, if they kent it, would fairly rin wood,
Tho’ bonny and guid, he’s nae worth a bawbee,
Oh, a’ body’s like to be married but me.

It’s hard to take shelter ahint a laigh dyke,
It’s hard to take that we dinna well like,
It’s hard to forsake ane we fain wad be wi’,
It’s harder that a’ body’s married but me.

Subject: Lyr Add: A’ BODY’S LIKE TO BE MARRIED BUT ME
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 May 22 - 07:57 PM

It was soon republished with a tune, a new title (the one it has been known by ever since), slightly altered lyrics, and no attribution:

From The British Musical Miscellany; Being a Collection of Scotch, English, & Irish Songs, (Edinburgh: Thomas Turnbull, 1805), p. 22:


A’ BODY’S LIKE TO BE MARRIED BUT ME.

As Jenny sat down wi’ her wheel by the fire,
She thought of the time that was fast fleein’ by’er,
She said to hersel’, wi’ a heavy hiegh-hee,
O, a’ body’s like to be married but me!

My youthfu’ companions are a’ worn awa,
And though I’ve had wooers mysel’, ane or twa,
Yet a lad to my mind I ne’er yet could see:
O, a’ body’s like to be married but me!

There’s Lowrie the Lawyer, wad ha’e me fu’ fain,
Who has baith a house and a yard o’ his ain;
But before I’d gang to it, I rather would die;
A wee stumpin’ body! he’ll never get me!

There’s Dickie, my cousin, frae Lun’on came down,
Wi’ fine yellow buckskins that dazzled the town,
But poor deevil, he got ne’er a blink o’ my e’e:
O, a’ body’s like to be married but me!

But I saw a lad by yon saughy burn side,
Wha weel wad deserve ony Queen for his bride;
Gin I had my will soon his ain I would be:
O, a’ body’s like to be married but me.

I gied him a look, as a kind lassie shou’d,
My friends if they kend it would surely rin wud,
For tho’ bonny and good, he’s no worth a babee:
O, a’ body’s like to be married but me!

’Tis hard to tak shelter behint a leigh dyke,
’Tis hard to tak ane we never can like,
’Tis hard for to leave ane we fain would be wi’;
Yet ’tis harder that a’ shou’d be married but me!