Traditional Scottish folk song
Intro = D C D
Verse 1
D C D
When I wis barely 12 'ears aul' I left the pairish skool
D C A
Ma father fee'd me tae the mains tae chaw his milk an' meal
D C A
I first pit on ma nerra breeks tae hap ma spin'le trams
D C D D
Then bucklet roond ma k-nappin' k-nees a pair o' nicky tams
Verse 2
D C D
First I got on for bailie loon an then I got on for third
D C A
An' yne of course I hid tae get the horseman's gripping word
D C A
A loaf o' breid tae be ma piece a bottle for drinkin' drams
D C D D
Bit ye canna gae throo the calf-hoose door without yer nicky tams
Verse 3
D C D
The fairmer I am wi' the noo he's wealthy but he's mean
D C A
Though corn's cheap his horse is thin his hairness fairly deen
D C A
He gars us load wir cairts aye fu' his conscience has nae qualms
D C D d
When breist-straps brak there's neething like a pair o' nicky tams
Verse 4
D C D
I'm coortin' bonnie Annie noo Rob Tamson's kitchie-deem
D C A
She is five-and-forty an' I am seiventeen
D C A
She clorts a muckle piece tae me wi' different kin's o' jam
D C D d
An' she tells me ilke nicht that she admires ma nicky tams
Verse 5
D C D
I' mornin' ah put on me claus the kirkie for tae gyang
D C A
Ma collar it was unco ticht ma breeks were nane ower lang
D C A
I had ma Bible in ma pooch likewise ma book o' Psalms
D C D D
Fan Annie roart "Ye muckle gype, tak' aff yer nicky tams"
Verse 6
D C D
Though unco sweir I took them aff the lassie for tae please
D C A
But aye ma breeks they lirket up aroon aboot ma knees
D C A
A wasp gaed crawlin' up ma leg in the middle o' the Psalms
D C D D
An' nivir again will I rig the kirk withoot ma nicky tams
Verse 7
D C D
I affen thocht I'd like tae be a bobby on the force
D C A
Bit maybe I'll get on the cars tae drive a pair o' horse
D C A
Wherever it's my lot tae be the bobbies or the trams
D C D
I'll never forget the happy days I wore ma nicky tams