This is my favourite Burns poem...love song
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ROBERT BURNS took an old, bawdy song and rewrote it as one of his most well-loved and beautiful love songs - creating, as was said by George Gilfillan in his The National Burns - one of the most beautiful expressions of true and time-tried tenderness in the world.
John Anderson my jo, John, When we were first aquent,
Your locks were like the raven, Your bonnie brow was brent;
But now your brow is bald, John, Your locks are like the snaw,
But blessings on your frosty pow, John Anderson, my jo.
John Anderson my jo, John, We clamb the hill thegither,
And mony a canty day, John, We've had wi ane anither;
Now we maun totter down, John, But hand in hand we'll go,
And sleep thegither at the foot, John Anderson, my jo.
This was the old drinking bawdy version....
John Anderson, my jo, John, I wonder what ye mean, To lie sae lang i' the mornin', And sit sae late at e'en?
Ye'll bleer a' your een, John, And why do ye so? Come sooner to your bed at een, John Anderson, my jo.
John Anderson, my jo, John, When first that ye began, Ye had as good a tail-tree, As ony ither man;
But now its waxen wan, John, And wrinkles to and fro, I've twa gae-ups for ae gae-down, John Anderson, my jo.
I'm backit like a salmon, I'm breastit like a swan; My wame it is a down-cod, My middle ye may span:;
Frae my tap-knot to my tae, John, I'm like the new-fa'n snow; And it's a' for your convenience, John Anderson, my jo.
O it is a fine thing To keep out o'er the dyke, But its a meikle finer thing, To see your hurdies fyke;
To see your hurdies fyke, John, And hit the rising blow; It's then I like your chanter-pipe, John Anderson, my jo.
When ye come on before, John, See that ye do your best; When ye begin to haud me, See that ye grip me fast;
See that ye grip me fast, John, Until that I cry "Oh!" Your back shall crack or I do that, John Anderson, my jo.
John Anderson, my jo, John, Ye're welcome when ye please;
It's either in the warm bed Or else aboon the claes:
Or ye shall hae the horns, John, Upon your head to grow;
An' that's the cuckold's mallison, John Anderson, my jo.