Woe be to the orders That took my love away And woe be to the cruel cause That bid my tears to fall Woe be to the bloody wars of high Germany They have taken my love and left a broken heart to me The drum beat in the morning Before the break of day The small wee fife played loud and clear While yet the morn was gray And aye, the bonny flag unfurled Twas a gallant sight to see Woe to me, my soldier lad was marched to Germany Long, long is the traveling To the bonny pier of Lieth And bleak it was to gang there With a snowstorm in your teeth And aye, the wind blew sharp and strong And a tear rose in my eyne I gang there to see my love embark for Germany As I gazed over the cruel, cruel sea For as long as could be seen The wee small sails upon the ship My own true love was in And aye, the wind blew sharp and strong And the ship sailed speedily Cruel the raging wars have torn my bonny boy from me Woe be to the orders That took my love away And woe be to the cruel cause That bid my tears to fall Woe be to the bloody wars of high Germany They have taken my love and left a broken heart to me
woe, germany, cruel, bonny, aye