The Canary/Daintie Davie
For other versions of this work, see Daintie Davie.
Daintie Davie.
The lasses fain wad ha'e frae meA sang to keep them a' in glee,While ne'er a ane I ha'e to gi'e,But only Daintie Davie.I learn'd it early in my youth,When barley bannocks caus'd a drouth,Whar cronies met to weet their mouth,Our sang was Daintie Davie.O, Dantie Davie is the thing,I never kent a canty spring,That e'r deserv'd the Highlan' flingSae weel as Daintie Davie.
When friends and fouk at bridals meet,Their drouthy mou's and craigs to weet,The story canna be completeWithout they've Daintie Davie.Sae, ladies, tune your spinnets weel,An' lilt it up wi' a' your skill,There's nae strathspey nor Highland reel,Comes up to Daintie Davie.O, Daintie Davie, &c.
Tho' bardies a' in former times,Ha'e stain'd my sang, wae worth their rhymes! ⟨They⟩ had but little mense, wi' crimesTo blast my Daintie Davie.The rankest weeds the garden spoil,⟨When⟩ Labour tak's the play a while,The lamp gaes out for want o' oil,And fae it far'd wi' Davie.O, Dantie Davie, &c.
⟨There's⟩ ne'er a bar but what's complete,While ilka note is aye sae sweet,⟨That⟩ auld an' young get to their feet,When they hear Daintie Davie.⟨Until⟩ the latest hour of time,When Music a' her power shall tine,⟨Each⟩ hill an' dale, an' grove shall ring,Wi' bonnie Daintie Davie.O, Daintie Davie, &c.