by Hector Macneill (1746 - 1818)
O bonny lass, will you lie in a barrack
Language: English
'O say, my sweet Nan, can you lie in a hammock, 'While mountain-seas rage, can you swing in a hammock, 'As the winds roar aloft, and rude billows dash o'er us, 'Can my Nancy sleep soundly amid the wild chorus?' "O yes! my dear Jack! I can lie in a hammock, "While the mountain-seas rage, can sleep sound in a hammock, "Rude billows will rock me when love smiles to cheer me; -- "If thy slumber's sweet, Jack, no dangers can fear me!" 'But say! if at night the sad cry comes for wearing, 'The breakers a-head, and the boatswain loud swearing; 'While the main-yard dips deep, and white billows break o'er us, 'Will my Nancy not shrink, then, amid the dread chorus?' "O no! my dear lad, when these dangers are near me, "My Jack's kindly whispers will soothe me -- will cheer me; "A kiss snatch'd in secret amid the dread horror, "Will hush the rude chorus, and still ev'ry terror!" To be sung by both at the same time 'Come! come, then, dear Nan! let us swing in a hammock! 'While mountain-seas dash round, sleep sound in our hammock! 'With love such as thine, who would dread war or weather! 'While we live, we shall love! -- when we fall! -- fall together!' "Come! come, then, dear Jack, let us swing in a hammock! "While mountain-seas dash round, sleep sound in our hammock! "With love such as thine, who would dread war or weather! "While we live, we shall love! -- when we fall -- fall together!"
Authorship:
- by Hector Macneill (1746 - 1818) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "O bonny lass, will you lie in a barrack", JHW XXXII/4 no. 282, Hob. XXXIa no. 89bis [voice and piano], arrangement; in Scottish Songs for George Thomson III [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2010-04-02
Line count: 25
Word count: 254