Lyrics
I saw my lovely Anne
I observed my beloved Anne
A way to the church go
She is on her way to the church
Gold rings on her fingers
She wears gold rings on her fingers
White gloves on her hand
She has white gloves on her hand
Gold rings on her fingers
Repetition: Gold rings on her fingers
White gloves on her hand
Repetition: White gloves on her hand
She’s gone and she’s with another
She has left and is with someone else
And i said my lovely Anne
Addressing Anne again
Just bide a wee while
Asking her to wait for a short while
For you have been so falsely beguiled
Anne has been deceived
For you have been so falsely beguiled
Repetition: Anne has been deceived
You’re only my ausheen
Referring to Anne as "ausheen" (term of endearment)
And i’m not here
Expressing absence: "I'm not here"
And the ladies and the gentleman
People inquire about the narrator
Came in enquiring on me
Enquiries from both ladies and gentlemen
How many black berries grow in the salt sea
Rhetorical question about blackberries in the salt sea
And i gave my reply with a tear in my eye
Narrator responds with sadness
As many ships sail in the forest
Comparing the number of ships to blackberries
While serving the glasses of brandy and wine
During the serving of brandy and wine
His health to the bonny lad
Toasting the health of a lad who should have been his
She should’ve been mine
Expressing regret that the bonny lass (Anne) is not his
Here’s a health to the bonny lass
Repeating the toast to the bonny lass
She should’ve been mine
Repetition: Expressing regret that she should have been his
My bonny loves up and she’s gone and left me
Expressing the departure of his beloved
My bonny loves up and she’s gone and left me
Repetition: His beloved has left him
But it’s once or twice that she’s slept with me
She has been with him only once or twice
And I'll go to my bed and I'll take a long sleep
Deciding to go to bed and sleep
You can cover me over with lilies so sweet
Wishing to be covered with sweet lilies when he sleeps
And you can cover me over with lilies so sweet
Repetition: Wishing to be covered with lilies
For it’s the only way I'll forget her
Forgetting the beloved is the only way to find peace
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