capo 2 (starts in Bm)
[chorus]
[Am] Ai-lie Bain [G] o' the glen,
[G] bonnie lassie, winsome lassie;
[Am] Ai-lie Bain [G] o' the glen,
[C] Wha' could [Em] help but [Am] lo'e her? [Wha' = Who]
[Am] Here wi'lips fore- [G]tok'ning kisses, [fore-tok'ning = worn out with?]
[Am] waiting dull and [G] wear-ie;
[Am] 'Tis nae won-der [G] my heart's wish is
[C] Quickly [Em] come my [Am] dear-ie.
[chorus]
A' the lads are daft a-boot ye;
A' the bardies praise ye;
Were I ane my-sel', I doubt na
I'd gang rhym'in crazy. [gang = go]
[chorus]
On the cauld nichts tho' my plaid-ie
Shel-ter'd us but spare-ly,
Yet my part-in' frae be-side ye [frae = from]
Seem'd tae come owre ear-ly. [owre = over, too]
[chorus]
What tho' mon-ied cuifs en-deav-or [cuifs = dolts]
Wi' their gowd tae lure ye; [gowd = gold]
True tae me yer heart beats ev-er;
Ne'er shall they se-cure ye!
[chorus]
From the gaelic of Evan MacColl (The Lochfyne Bard), Translated by Malcolm MacFarlane. Air from the 'Celtic Lyre' arranged by Helen Hopekirk, 1905.