As I was walkin' one fine summer's evening
A-walkin' doon by the Broomielaw
It was there I met wi' a fair young maiden
She'd cherry cheeks and a skin like snaw.
Says I, “My lassie, is it you that wanders?
All alone by the Broomielaw?â€
“Indeed it's the truth I'll tell ye,
I'm a bleacher lassie on Kelvinhaugh.â€
“Oh lassie, lassie do you remember
The ships that sailed by the Broomielaw,
And the sailor laddies they all admired
The bleacher lassie on Kelvinhaugh?â€
“Oh laddie, laddie I do remember
The ships that sailed by the Broomielaw
And the sailor laddies they all got tipsy
With the bleacher lassie on Kelvinhaugh.â€
Says I, “My lassie will ye gang wi' me?
I will dress you in fine satins braw.â€
“Indeed kind sir, I can plainly tell ye
I've a lad o' my ain and he's far awa.
“It's sieven lang years that I loo'ed a sailor;
It's sieven lang years that he gaed awa
And anither sieven I will wait upon him
And bleach my claes here on Kelvinhaugh.â€
“Oh lassie, lassie, ye are hard-hairted
I wish your face I never saw;
For my heart's aye bleedin', baith nicht and mornin'
For the bleacher lassie on Kelvinhaugh.
“Oh lassie, lassie, ye hae been faithful
And thocht on me when far awa';
Twa hairts will surely be rewarded,
We'll pairt nae mair here on Kelvinhaugh.â€
It's now this couple, it's they've got marr-i-ed
And they keep an ale-house atween them twa
And the sailor laddies, they all come drinkin'
To see that lassie on sweet Kelvinhaugh.