O gude ale comes.
[This happy Bacchanalian ditty is an old song, amended by Burns for Johnson's Museum. In Cromek's Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song, another version is given, which is said to be the "original of Burns's," but, of course, it is merely a fabrication by Allan Cunningham. The song is adapted to an old tune called "The Bottom of the Punchbowl." In some collections we see it marked to the tune of "The Happy Farmer," but whether these are different tunes or different names of the same tune we cannot say.]
O gude ale comes, and gude ale goes;
Gude ale gars me sell my hose,
Sell my hose, and pawn my shoon;
Gude ale keeps my heart aboon.
I had sax owsen in a pleuch,
And they drew teuch and weel eneuch:
I drank them a' just ane by ane;
Gude ale keeps my heart aboon.
Gude ale hauds me bare and busy,
Gars me moop wi' the servant hizzie,
Stand i' the stool, when I ha'e done;
Gude ale keeps my heart aboon.
O gude ale comes, and gude ale goes;
Gude ale gars me sell my hose,
Sell my hose, and pawn my shoon;
Gude ale keeps my heart aboon.