Hold thy way my bonnie bairn, hold thy way upon my arm
Hold thy way thou soon may learn to say "dadda" so canny
I wish thy daddy may be well, he's long been coming from the keel
Though his black face be like a devil I like a kiss from Johnny
Thou really has thy daddy's chin, thou art like him both leg and wing
And I with pleasure can thee sing since thou belongs to Johnny
Johnny is a clever lad, last night he fuddled all he had
This morn he wasn't very bad, he looked as blithe as any
Though thou's the first thou's not the last, I mean to have my bairns fast
And when this happy time is past I still will love my Johnny
For his hair's brown and so is thine, thine eyes are grey and so are mine,
Thy nose is tapered off so fine, thou's like thy daddy Johnny
Thy canny dow tis far too round and like thy da's though plump and sound
Thou's worth to me a thousand pound, thou's altogether bonny
When daddy's drunk he'll take his knife and threaten sore to take my life;
Who wouldn't be a keelman's wife to have a man like Johnny?
But yonder dad is coming now, he looks the best among the crew
They're all going to the Barley Mow to have a glass with Johnny
So let's go get the bacon fried and let us make a clean fireside
Then on his knee he will thee ride when he comes home to mummy.
