If you sing this song and are willing to talk of where & when you
learned it, please email me at
or call me at 314-690-1414. Thanks!
Ye Ken Pretty Well What I Mean, O
An aul' wife lived at the tap o' yon hill,
A green leaves sae green O
Gin she dinna be deid she'a aye livin' still,
And ye know pretty well what I mean, O.
She kept a pint o' braw gweed ale,
A green leaves sae green, O,
An' a handsome wee daughter to draw in the trade,
And ye ken pretty well what I mean, O.
Ae day a sailor came ridin' by,
A green leaves sae green O
And he ca'd for a pint o' her braw gweed ale,
And ye know pretty well what I mean, O.
He ca'd for a pint an' he ca'd for another
A green leaves sae green, O,
This maiden and sailor were bedded together.
And ye ken pretty well what I mean, O.
She drew her hand across his wyme,
A green leaves sae green O
"Fit's that that I feel like a dreg harrow tine?"
And ye know pretty well what I mean, O.
"Oh that's my staigie that I ride on,
A green leaves sae green, O,
And the bag that I carry my confidence in."
And ye ken pretty well what I mean, O.
He drew his hand across her wyme,
A green leaves sae green O
"Fit's that that I feel like the birse on a syne?"
And ye know pretty well what I mean, O.
"Oh that's my well that I draw from,
A green leaves sae green, O,
An' ye can water yer staigie there."
And ye ken pretty well what I mean, O.
He put him in sae plump an' fat
A green leaves sae green O
And he cam' oot again like a half-droont rat
And ye know pretty well what I mean, O.
He put him in sae plump and fat,
A green leaves sae green, O,
But he cam' oot again like a half-droont rat,
And ye know pretty well what I mean, O,
Aye ye know pretty well what I mean, O.
Arthur Argo got this (text only) from an elderly relative, and himself put a tune to it. (Hamish Henderson, Alias MacAlias 148)