trad
Archie Fisher recorded in 1976 on The Man With a Rhyme, where he wrote: "A song that puts very succinctly the penalties and shame incurred from the sowing of wild oats. Most versions, including this one, are from the Herd manuscripts."
As I cam’ in by Fisherrow, Musselburgh was near me.
I threw off my mussel pyock and courted wi’ my dearie.
Chorus:
Upstairs, downstairs, timmer stairs fears me;
I thocht it wrang tae lie my lane when I’m sae near my dearie.
Nao, had her apron bidden doon the kirk would ne’er a-ken’t it,
But now the news gaes through the toon; I fear I canna mend it.
And she maun tak’ the cutty stool, and I maun hae the pillar’,
And that’s the way the poor folks dae, because they hae nae siller.