Rattlin' Roarin' Willie: Rattlin' Roarin' Willie

Rattlin' Roarin' Willie

Tune--"_Rattlin', roarin' Willie._"

["The hero of this chant," says Burns "was one of the worthiest
fellows in the world--William Dunbar, Esq., Write to the Signet,
Edinburgh, and Colonel of the Crochallan corps--a club of wits, who
took that title at the time of raising the fencible regiments."]

I.
    O rattlin', roarin' Willie,
      O, he held to the fair,
    An' for to sell his fiddle,
      An' buy some other ware;
    But parting wi' his fiddle,
      The saut tear blint his ee;
    And rattlin', roarin' Willie,
      Ye're welcome hame to me!
II.
    O Willie, come sell your fiddle,
      O sell your fiddle sae fine;
    O Willie, come sell your fiddle,
      And buy a pint o' wine!
    If I should sell my fiddle,
      The warl' would think I was mad;
    For mony a rantin' day
      My fiddle and I hae had.
III.
    As I cam by Crochallan,
      I cannily keekit ben--
    Rattlin', roarin' Willie
      Was sittin' at yon board en';
    Sitting at yon board en',
      And amang good companie;
    Rattlin', roarin' Willie,
      Ye're welcome hame to me I

Back to chapter list of: Rattlin' Roarin' Willie