1: Fen I wis only ten year aul I left the pairish squeel,
Ma faither fee'd me tae the mains tae chaw his milk an meal;
I first pit on ma nerra breeks tae hap ma spinnle trams,
Syne bukkelt roon ma knappin knees a pair o nicky tams.
2: But first I got on for bailie loon an syne I got on for third,
An syne, of course, I hid tae get the horseman's grip an word;
A loaf o breid tae be ma piece, a bottle for drinkin drams,
Syne ye canna gang throw the calf-hoose door athout yer nicky tams.
3: The fairmer I am wi ay noo, he's wealthy but he's mean.
Though corn is cheap, his horse are thin, his harness fairly deen;
He gars us load oor cairts aye fu an his conscience has nae qualms,
When breist-straps brak there's naethin like a pair o nicky tams.
4: I'm coortin bonnie Annie noo, Rob Tamson's kitchie-deem,
She is five-and-forty an I but seiventeen;
She clairts a muckle piece tae me wi different kinds o jams,
Aye, an tells me ilkie nicht that she admires ma nicky tams.
5: Ae Sunday mornin I set doun, the kirkie for tae gang,
Ma collar it was unco ticht ma breeks were nane ower lang;
I had ma Bible in ma pooch, likewise ma buik o Psalms,
Fen Annie roart, "Ye muckle gype, tak aff yer nicky tams."
6: Though unco sweir, I took them aff, the lassie for tae please,
But aye ma breeks they lirket up aroon aboot ma knees;
A muckle wasp crawled up ma leg in the middle o the Psalms,
Aye, nivir again will I enter yon kirk athoot ma nicky tams.
7: I've affen thocht I'd like tae be a bobby on the force,
Or mebbe I'll get on the cars tae drive a pair o horse;
Fitever it's ma lot tae be, the bobbies or the trams,
I'll ne'er forget the happy days I wore ma nicky tams.
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