Traditional Music >> Tunes >> Tablature >> Scottish Tunes >> We're No Awa...   We're No Awa Tae Bide Awa

This popular people's song is often sung at the end of a social gathering. The words are known throughout Scotland, but the location often changes from place to place. This is the version sung in the city of Dundee:

1. As I was walking doon the Overgate [1],
I met wi' Johnnie Scobie
I says, "Man will ye hae a hauf?"
He says, "Man, that's ma hoabbie!"

Chorus:
For we're no' awa tae bide awa,
We're no' awa tae leave ye,
For we're no' awa tae bide awa,
We'll aye come back an' see ye.

2. Oh, we had a hauf, and anither hauf,
And then we had anither,
And she got drunk, and he got drunk,
An' we a' went hame thegither!

[1] = The Overgate was one of the main thoroughfares in Dundee. I know that there were other regional variants, but I can't recall any now. I don't know how widespread this song was, but it was/is known in Edinburgh, Perthshire, Dundee, and, If I remember correctly, Glasgow.

Back to: The Scottish Mandolin >> EK Improvers Mandolin