Mr Robert Howie (sings.)
“ Behave yoursell before folk,1
Behave yoursell before folk,2
And dinna be sae rude to me,3
As kiss me sae before folk.4
“ It wadna gie me meikle pain,5
Gin we were seen and heard by nane,6
To tak’ a kiss, or grant you ane ;7
But, gudesake ! no before folk.8
Behave yoursell before folk,9
Behave yoursell before folk ;10
Whate’er you do, when out o’ view,11
Be cautious aye before folk.12
“ Consider, lad, how folk will crack,13
And what a great affair they’ll mak’14
O’ naething but a simple smack,15
That’s gien or taen before folk.16
Behave yoursell before folk,17
Behave yoursell before folk ;18
Nor gie the tongue o’ auld or young19
Occasion to come o’er folk.20
“ It’s no through hatred o’ a kiss,21
That I sae plainly tell you this,22
But, losh ! I tak’ it sair amiss23
To be so teaz’d before folk.24
Behave yoursell before folk,25
Behave yoursell before folk ;26
When we’re our lane ye may tak ane,27
But fient a ane before folk.28
“Im sure wi’ you I’ve been as free29
As ony modest lass should be ;30
But yet, it doesna do to see31
Sic freedom used before folk.32
Behave yoursell before folk,33
Behave yoursell before folk ;34
I’ll ne’er submit again to it—35
So mind you that—before folk.36
“ Ye tell me that my face is fair ; 37
It may be sae—I dinna care—38
But ne’er again gar’t blush sae sair39
As ye hae done before folk. 40
Behave yoursell before folk,41
Behave yoursell before folk ;42
Nor heat my cheeks wi’ your mad freaks,43
But aye be douce before folk.44
“ Ye tell me that my lips are sweet,45
Sic tales, I doubt, are a’ deceit ;46
At ony rate, it’s hardly meet47
To prie their sweets before folk.48
Behave yoursell before folk,49
Behave yoursell before folk ;50
Gin that’s the case, there’s time and place,51
But surely no before folk.52
“ But, gin ye really do insist53
That I should suffer to be kiss’d,54
Gae, get a license frae the priest,55
And mak’ me yours before folk.56
Behave yoursell before folk,57
Behave yoursell before folk ;58
And when we’re ane, baith flesh and bane,59
Ye may tak’ ten—before folk.”60