Can Ye Labour Lea

First printed in Johnson’s S.M.M., Vol. 4, 13th August 1792.

I fee’d a man at Martinmass, hired

         Wi’ airle-pennies three; bargain money

But a’ the faute I had to him, fault

         He could na labour lea. could not, till grass land

Chorus

5 O can ye labour lea, young man,

         O can ye labour lea;

Gae back the gate ye came again, go, way

         Ye’se never scorn me. —

O clappin’s gude in Febarwar, caressing, February

10          An’ kissin’s sweet in May;

But what signifies a young man’s love,

         An’t dinna last for ay. does not, ever

                  O can ye &c.

O kissin is the key o’ luve,

         An’ clappin is the lock, caressing

15          An’ makin-of ’s the best thing,

         That e’er a young Thing got. —

                  O can ye &c.

This is based on an old song Burns heard his own mother sing. As the original is unknown it is assumed Burns re-wrote the lyric. A bawdy version collected by Burns is in the Merry Muses.