---
title: "Philly and Willy"
author: "Robert Burns"
form: "Song"
year: "1794"
tune: "The Sow’s tail to Geordie"
location: "Dumfries"
source: "Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns"
source_url: "https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt"
canonical_url: "https://robert-burns.com/poems/philly-and-willy/"
---

# Philly and Willy

## Song
He. O Philly, happy be that day,  
When roving thro’ the gather’d hay,  
My youthfu’ heart was stown away,  
And by thy charms, my Philly.

She. O Willy, aye I bless the grove  
Where first I own’d my maiden love,  
Whilst thou did pledge the Powers above,  
To be my ain dear Willy.

*Chorus*  
Both. For a’ the joys that gowd can gie,  
I dinna care a single flie;  
The lad I love’s the lad for me,  
The lass I love’s the lass for me,  
And that’s my ain dear Willy.  
And that’s my ain dear Philly.

He. As songsters of the early year,  
Are ilka day mair sweet to hear,  
So ilka day to me mair dear  
And charming is my Philly.

She. As on the brier the budding rose,  
Still richer breathes and fairer blows,  
So in my tender bosom grows  
The love I bear my Willy.

He. The milder sun and bluer sky  
That crown my harvest cares wi’ joy,  
Were ne’er sae welcome to my eye  
As is a sight o’ Philly.

She. The little swallow’s wanton wing,  
Tho’ wafting o’er the flowery Spring,  
Did ne’er to me sic tidings bring,  
As meeting o’ my Willy.

*Chorus*  
Both. For a’ the joys that gowd can gie,  
I dinna care a single flie;  
The lad I love’s the lad for me,  
The lass I love’s the lass for me,  
And that’s my ain dear Willy.  
And that’s my ain dear Philly.

He. The bee that thro’ the sunny hour  
Sips nectar in the op’ning flower,  
Compar’d wi’ my delight is poor,  
Upon the lips o’ Philly.

She. The woodbine in the dewy weet,  
When ev’ning shades in silence meet,  
Is nocht sae fragrant or sae sweet  
As is a kiss o’ Willy.

He. Let fortune’s wheel at random rin,  
And fools may tine and knaves may win;  
My thoughts are a’ bound up in ane,  
And that’s my ain dear Philly.

She. What’s a’ the joys that gowd can gie?  
I dinna care a single flie;  
The lad I love’s the lad for me,  
And that’s my ain dear Willy.

---

Source: [Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt)  
Canonical HTML: https://robert-burns.com/poems/philly-and-willy/