O come a´ ye tramps and hawker-lads an´ gaitherers o´ bla´
That tramp the country roun´ and roun´, come listen one and a´
I´ll tell tae ye a rovin´ tale, o´ sights that I hae seen
Far up into the snowy north, or sooth by Gretna Green.
verse 2
I´ve seen the high Ben Nevis a-towerin´ tae the moon
I´ve been roun´ by Crieff an´ Callander an roun´ by Bonny Doon
I´ve seen Loch Ness's silvery tide an´ places I'll tae ken
Far up into the stormy north lies Urquart´s fairy glen
verse 3
Ofttimes I laugh tae mysel´ as I wander alang the road
My toerags round my blistered feet, my face as broun´s a toad
Wi´ lumps o´cheese and tattie-scones or breid an´ braxie ham
Nae thinking whar´ I´m comin´ frae nor thinkin´ whar I´m gang.
verse 4
I've done my share of humpin' wi' the dockers on the Clyde
I've helped the Buckie trawlers hawl the herrin' o'er the side
I've helped to build the mighty bridge that spans the Firth o' Forth
And wi' mony Angus farmer's rig I've plowed the bonny earth
Verse 5
I´m happy in the summer-time beneath the dark blue sky
Nae thinkin´ in the mornin´ where at nicht i´m gang to lie
In barn or byre or anywhere dossing out among the hay
And if the weather treats me right, I´m happy every day.
Verse 6
Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond, they´ve oft been seen by me
The Dee, the Don, the Devron, that a´ flows tae the sea
Dunrobin Castle, by the way, I nearly had forgot
And the reckless stanes o´cairn that mairks the hoose o´ John o´ Groat.
Verse 7
I´ve been by bonny Gallowa´, an´ often roun´ Stranraer
My business leads me anywhere, I travel near an´ far
I´ve got that rovin´ notion I wouldna like tae loss
For It´s my daily fare an´ as much I will pay my doss.
Verse 8
I think I´ll gang tae Paddy´s Lan´, I´m makin´ up my mind
For Scotland´s greatly altered noo, I canna raise the wind
But I will trust in Providence, and Providence be true
I´ll sing ye´a song o´ Erin´s Isle when I come back to you.