The Book of Scottish Song/Fairly shot of her
Fairly shot of her.
[This is the name of a tune of considerable antiquity. O'Keefe adopts it for one of his songs in his still popular musical afterpiece called "The Highland Reel," first acted in 1788. His song begins, "Boys, when I play, cry, O Crimini." The old words to the tune, we imagine, are lost, but the following song probably embraces a portion of them, or at least the spirit of them. It was written by John Anderson, who served his apprenticeship as a music-engraver, to Johnson, the publisher of the Museum, in which work the song appears.]
O gin I were fairly shot o' her!
Fairly, fairly, fairly shot o' her!
O gin I were fairly shot o' her!
If she were dead, I wad dance on the top o' her!
Till we were married, I cottldna see licht till her;
For a month after, a' thing aye gaed richt wi' her:
But these ten years I ha'e prayed for a wright to her—
O gin I were fairly shot o' her!
Nane o' her relations or friends could stay wi' her:
The neebours and balms are fain to flee frae her:
And I my ain sel' am forced to gi'e way till her:
Oh gin I were fairly shot o' her!
She gangs aye sae braw, she's sae muckle pride in her;
There's no a gudewife in the haill country-side like her:
Wi' dress and wi' drink, the deil wadna bide wi' her:
Oh gin I were fairly shot o' her!
If the time were but come that to the kirk-gate wi' her,
And into the yird I'd mak' mysel' quit o' her,
I'd then be as blythe as first when I met wi' her.
Oh gin I were fairly shot o' her!