Lady Mary Anne

Lady Mary Anne looked over the castle wall

There she saw twa bonny laddies playing at the ball

The youngest of them, he was the fairest of all

Her bonny boy, he's young and he's growing O

Father, dearest father, you have done me a great wrong

To go and get me married to a lad who is so young

He being only sixteen years and I am twenty one

My bonny boy, he's young and he's growing O

Daughter, dearest daughter, I have done you no wrong

To go and get you married to a lad who is so young

He will be a match for you when I am dead and gone

Your bonny boy, he's young and he's growing O

Oh father, dearest father, then I'll tell you what we'll do

We'll send my love to college for another year or two

All around his college cap we'll bind the ribbons blue

To let the ladies know that he's married O

Well, young Charlie Cochrane was the sprout of an oak

Blithe aye and bonny and straight was his neck

The sun, when it shone, it was all for his sake

He will be the pride of the forest O

Lady Mary Anne was the flower among the dew

Blithe aye and bonny and straight was her shoe

The longer she blossomed, well, the sweeter she grew

The lily in the bud will be bonnier O

Summer, it is gone when the leaves, they were green

Happy were the days that both you and I have seen

Far happier days, well, I trust will come again

My bonny boy, he's young and he's growing O

Oh well, at the age of sixteen years, he was a married man

At the age of seventeen, the father of his son

At the age of eighteen, o'er his grave the grass grew green

Cruel death had put an end to his growing O

I will weave my love a shroud of the ornamental brown

Whilst I am a-weaving it, the tears, they will fall down

For once I had a true love, but now he's lying low

I'll nurse his bonny boy while he's growing O

Growing O