There once was a troop of Irish dragoons

Come marching down thru Fife-y, O

And the captain feel in love with a very bonnie lass

And the name she was called was pretty Peggy-o



There's many a bonnie lass in the glen of Auchterlass

There's many a bonnie lass in Gairioch-o

There's many a bonnie Jean in the streets of Aberdeen

But the flower of them all lives in Fife-y, O



O come down the stairs, Pretty Peggy, my dear

Come down the stairs, Pretty Peggy-o

Come down the stairs, comb back your yellow hair

Bid a long farewell to your mammy-o



It's braw, aye it's braw, a captain's lady for to be

And it's braw to be a captain's lady-o

It's braw to ride around and to follow the camp

And to ride when your captain he is ready-o



O I'll give you ribbons, love, and I'll give you rings

I'll give you a necklace of amber-o

I'll give you a silken petticoat with flounces to the knee

If you'll convey me doon to your chamber-o



What would your mother think if she heard the guineas clink

And saw the haut-boys marching all before you o

O little would she think gin she heard the guineas clink

If I followed a soldier laddie-o



I never did intend a soldier's lady for to be

A soldier shall never enjoy me-o

I never did intend to gae tae a foreign land

And I will never marry a soldier-o



I'll drink nae more o your claret wine

I'll drink nae more o your glasses-o

Tomorrow is the day when we maun ride away

So farewell tae your Fyvie lasses-o



The colonel he cried, mount, boys, mount,boys, mount

The captain, he cried, tarry-o

O tarry yet a while, just another day or twa

Til I see if the bonnie lass will marry-o



Twas in the early morning, when we marched awa

And O but the captain he was sorry-o

The drums they did beat a merry brasselgeicht

And the band played the bonnie lass of Fife-y, O



Long ere we came to the glen of Auchterlass

We had our captain to carry-o

And long ere we won into the streets of Aberdeen

We had our captain to bury-o



Green grow the birks on bonnie Ethanside

And low lie the lowlands of Fife-y, O

The captain's name was Ned and he died for a maid

He died for the bonny lass of Fife-y, O