The Book of Scottish Song/The wood of Craigie-lea
The wood of Craigie-lea.
[Written by Tannahill, and set to music by his friend James Barr of Kilbarchan. Both the words and air are sweet and natural. Craigie-lea lies to the north-west of Paisley, but its rural beauties have been of late years encroached on by the erection of a gas-work in its vicinity.]
Thou bonnie wood of Craigie-lea,
Thou bonnie wood of Craigie-lea,
Near thee I pass'd life's early day,
And won my Mary's heart in thee.
The broom, the brier, the birken bush,
Bloom bonnie o'er the flowery lea,
An' a' the sweets that ane can wish
Frae nature's hand, are strew'd on thee.
Thou bonnie wood, &c.
Far ben thy dark-green planting's shade,
The cushat croodles am'rously,
The mavis, down thy buchted glade,
Gars echo ring frae every tree.
Thou bonnie wood, &c.
Awa', ye thoughtless, murd'ring gang,
Wha tear the nestlings ere they flee!
They'll sing you yet a canty sang,
Then, O in pity let them be!
Thou bonnie wood, &c.
When winter blaws in sleety showers,
Frae aff the Norlan' hills sae hie,
He lightly skiffs thy bonnie bowers,
As laith to harm a flower in thee.
Thou bonnie wood, &c.
Though fate should drag me south the line,
Or o'er the wide Atlantic sea;
The happy hours I'll ever min'
That I in youth ha'e spent in thee.
Thou bonnie wood, &c.