Lord Thomas and Fair Annie
Ewan MacColl Lyrics

Lord Thomas was a very fine man
Lord Thomas was a highly respectable and admirable individual

Went oot to hunt his career.
He embarked on a journey to pursue his ambitions and achieve success in his chosen path

Fair Annie she was the fairest woman
Fair Annie was the most beautiful woman

That ever the sun shone on,
Whose radiant beauty surpassed all others, illuminated by the sun's rays

That ever the sun shone on.
That ever the sun shone on.

Lord Thomas he spoke a word in jest,
Lord Thomas made a casual remark, not intending any harm

And Annie she took it ill.
However, Annie took offense to his words

He said, 'I'll marry nane o' your mean maidens
He expressed his reluctance to marry any ordinary or lowly maidens

Withoot my parents' will,
Unless it aligned with his parents' approval

Withoot my parents' will.'
Withoot my parents' will.'

Then Thomas he is hame to his mither
Subsequently, Thomas returned home to his mother

And bowed low doon til his knee,
And humbly knelt down before her

O shall I wed the nut-brown may
Should he marry the dairymaid with a tan complexion

Or shall I wed fair Annie?
Or should he marry the beautiful Annie?

Or shall I wed fair Annie?
Or shall I wed fair Annie?

The nut-brown maid she has cows and ewes,
The dairymaid possesses cattle and sheep

Fair Annie she has nane,
While fair Annie has none

And for my blessin's, my son Thomas,
As a blessing to my son Thomas,

I pray ye let her alane,
I urge you to leave her be

I pray ye let her alane.
I pray ye let her alane.

Then oot it spak his little sister,
Then his younger sister spoke up

Stood by her nurse's knee.
While standing by her nurse's side

'O marry ye your fair Annie
'Oh, marry your beloved, fair Annie

And let the ither yen be,
And let the other one go

And let the ither yen be.'
And let the ither yen be.'

'A coo may dee in her calvin,
'A cow may die while giving birth,

An ox may droon in the mire,
And an ox may drown in the mud,

But marry ye your fair Annie,
But if you marry fair Annie,

Ye'll get your heart's desire,
You will obtain your deepest wish

Ye'll get your heart's desire.'
Ye'll get your heart's desire.'

'A coo may dee in her calvin,
'A cow may die while giving birth,

Or an ox may hing in the ploo,
Or an ox may hang in the plow,

But marry ye your fair Annie,
But if you marry fair Annie,

And ye'll get gear eneugh,
And you will acquire enough wealth and possessions

And ye'll get gear eneugh.'
And ye'll get gear eneugh.'

Lord Thomas he's gane to Annie's bower door,
Lord Thomas went to Annie's dwelling place

And tirled low at the pin,
And gently tapped the latch

Nae readier was than fair Annie
Fair Annie was more than willing

To let Lord Thomas in,
To allow Lord Thomas to enter

To let Lord Thomas in.
To let Lord Thomas in.

It's will ye come to my weddin', Annie?
Will you attend my wedding, Annie?

The morn's tae be the day.
Tomorrow is the chosen day for the ceremony

'It's never a fit.' said fair Annie.
'It's not appropriate,' replied fair Annie

'Unless the bride I be,
'Unless I am the bride,

Unless the bride I be.'
Unless the bride I be.'

Lord Thomas he gaed up the high highway,
Lord Thomas traveled along the main road

And Annie gaed doon the glen.
While Annie went down the valley

An' Annie shone as fair her lane
And Annie appeared just as beautiful alone

As Thomas and a' his men.
As Thomas and all his men.

O where got ye the water, Annie,
Oh, where did you obtain the water, Annie,

That washed ye sae clean?
That made you so impeccably clean?

I got it by my mither's bower door
I fetched it from my mother's house

Beneath a marble stane,
Underneath a marble stone

Beneath a marble stane.
Beneath a marble stane.

O, ye maun wear my hat, Annie,
Oh, you must wear my hat, Annie,

And ye maun wear my glove.
And you must wear my glove.

Until my wife hae born a son.
Until my wife has given birth to a son.

And that will end our love.
And that will bring our love to an end.

And that will end our love,
And that will end our love,

I winna wear your hat, Lord Thomas,
I refuse to wear your hat, Lord Thomas,

I winna wear your glove,
I winna wear your glove,

But ye maun gie't your nut-brown bride,
However, you must give it to your dark-skinned bride,

Tae her ye's constant prove.
To show your unwavering loyalty to her.

Tae her ye's constant prove.
Tae her ye's constant prove.

Then he sent hame wi' fair Annie
Then he sent home with fair Annie

His hairt and his hairt's bleid,
His heart and his heart's blood, symbolizing his love and devotion

But ere the hour of twal o the clock
But before the stroke of twelve o'clock

Fair Annie she was deid,
Fair Annie had passed away

Fair Annie she was deid.
Fair Annie she was deid.

Then Thomas he's gane to Annie's bower door.
Then Thomas went to Annie's dwelling place

And tirled low at the pin,
And gently tapped the latch

Nae readier was than Annie's mither
Annie's mother was more than willing

To let Lord Thomas in,
To allow Lord Thomas to enter

To let Lord Thomas in.
To let Lord Thomas in.

O deal ye weel at my lover's lyke
Oh, offer a warm welcome at my beloved's funeral

The white breid and the wine.
Provide the customary white bread and wine during the ceremony.

And ere the morn at twelve o' the clock
And before the morning at twelve o'clock

Ye'll deal as weel at mine.
You'll do the same for my funeral.

Ye'll deal as weel at mine.
Ye'll deal as weel at mine.

The ane was laid in Mary's kirk
One was buried in Mary's church

And the ither in Mary's choir,
And the other in Mary's choir

And fae the yen, there sprang a birk
And from the one, a birch tree emerged

Frae the ither a bonny sweet brier,
From the other, a beautiful and fragrant wild rose bush

Frae the ither a bonny sweet brier.
Frae the ither a bonny sweet brier.