The Book of Scottish Song/Love's like a dizziness

Love's like a dizziness.

[Written by the Ettrick Shepherd, to the tune of "Paddy's Wedding."]

I Lately liv'd in quiet case,
An' never wish'd to marry, O;
But when I saw my Peggy's face,
I felt a sad quandary, O.
Though wild as ony Athol deer,
She has trepan'd me fairly,
Her cherry cheeks, and een sae clear,
Harass me late an' early, O.
O! love! love! laddie,
Love 's like a dizziness!
It winna let a puir body
Gang about his business!

To tell my feats this single week
Wad mak' a curious diary, O:
I drave my cart against a dyke,
My horses in a miry, O:
I wear my stockings white an' blue,
My love's sae fierce and fiery, O:
I drill the land that I should plow,
An' plow the drills entirely, O.
O! love! love! &c.

Soon as the dawn had brought the day,
I went to theek the stable, O;
I coost my coat, an' ply'd away
As fast as I was able, O.
I wrought a' morning out an' out
As I'd been redding fire, O;
When I had done, and look'd about,
Behold it was the byre, O!
O! love! love! &c.

Her wily glance I'll ne'er forget;
The dear, the lovely blinkin' o't,
Has pierc'd me through and through the heart,
And plagues me wi' the prinklin' o't,
I try'd to sing, I try'd to pray,
I try'd to drown't wi' drinkin' o't:
I try'd wi' toil to drive't away,
But ne'er can sleep for thinkin' o't.
O! love! love! &c.

Were Peggy's love to hire the job,
An' save my heart frae breakin', O,
I'd put a girdle round the globe,
Or dive in Corryvrekin, O;
Or howk a grave at midnight dark
In yonder vault sae eerie, O;
Or gang and spier for Mungo Park
Through Africa sae dreary, O.
O! love! love! &c.

Ye little ken what pains I prove I
Or, how severe my plisky, O;
I swear I'm sairer drunk wi' love
Than e'er I was wi' whisky, O!
For love has rak'd me fore an' aft,
I scarce can lift a leggy, O:
I first grew dizzy, than gaed daft,
An' now I'll dee for Peggy, O.
O! love! love! &c.

---