GUID NICHT,
AN JOY BE WI' YOU A'
John Imlah
Guid nicht, an joy be wi' you a',
Since it is sae that I maun gang;
Short seem'd the gate to come - but ah!
To gang again is weary lang.
Sic joyous nichts come nae sae thrang
That I sae soon sou'd haste awa,
But since it's sae that I maun gae,
Guid nicht,
an' joy be wi' you a'.
This nicht I ween we've had the heart
To gar auld time tak' to his feet;
That mak's us a' fu laith to part,
And aye mair fain again to meet.
To dree the winter's drift an' weet,
For sic a nicht is nocht ava,
For hours the minutes o' the sweet -
Guid nicht, an' joy be wi' you a'.
Our bald-pow'd daddies here we've seen
In younkers' revels fidging fain;
Our gray-hair'd grannies here hae been
Like daffin' hizzies young again.
To mony a merry, auld Scots strain,
We've deftly passed the time awa,
We met in mirth, we part in pain,
Guid nicht, an' joy be wi' you a'.
My nimble steed neighs at the yett;
My shoulders roun' the the plaid I throw;
I've clapt the spur upon my buit,
The guid braid bonnet on my brow;
The nicht is wearin' late I trow -
My hame lies mony a mile awa;
The mair's the need to mount and go,
Guid nicht, an' joy be wi' you a'.
Bring me the deoch an doruis gill,
'Twill licht a bouat in my e'e;
Tho' mirk nae fear that I gang will
Drink doubly an' I'll doubly see.
Young lads an' lasses, tent ye me,
As hame ye daunder twa an' twa,
Love guide your gait - blin' tho' he be -
Guid nicht, an' joy be wi' you a'.
Footnote : This song of parting after
a night of revelry seems appropriate for Hogmany. The well known
19th century Aberdeen songwriter John Imlah was a fore-bear of one
of the most popular singers and entertainers in the Scottish Folk
Revival, the late Hamish Imlach.
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