As I was a-walkin by the banks o
the Ugie
Listen dear friends what I have to
relate
Who should I spy there but one of
my comrades
Wrapped up in white flannel, aye
and sad wis his fate
The mercury was beatin, the limestone
was reekin
His tongue all in flames hangin over
his chin
A hole in his bosom, his teeth they
were closin
Bad luck tae the girlie that has
gied him the glim
Chorus
And had she but told me, when she
disordered me
Had she but told me of it in time
I might have been cured by the pills
of white mercury
But now I’m a young man, cut down
in my prime
Down at the street corner, two flash
girls were standin
And one tae the other did whisper
and say
There goes that young man who once
was so jolly
But now for his sins his poor body
it must pay
My parents they warned me and often
they’ve chided
Sayin, with those flash lassies do
not sport and play
But I never heeded and I scarse ever
listned
But still carried on in my own wicked
way
O doctor, dear doctor, before your
departure
Take all these bottles of mercury
away
Then send for the minister to say
a prayer over me
Before that they lay my poor body
in the clay
Then you’ll get six fine young fellows
to carry my coffin
And six pretty fair maids to bear
up my poll
And you will give each one a bunch
of red roses
So that when they pass by me they’ll
not know the smell
And had she but told me, when she
disordered me
Had she but told me of it in time
I might have been cured by the pills
of white mercury
But now I’m a young man, cut down
in my prime
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