Lady Mary Anne looked over the castle wall
There she saw twa bonny laddies playing at the ball
The youngest of them, he was the fairest of all
Her bonny boy, he's young and he's growing O

Father, dearest father, you have done me a great wrong
To go and get me married to a lad who is so young
He being only sixteen years and I am twenty one
My bonny boy, he's young and he's growing O

Daughter, dearest daughter, I have done you no wrong
To go and get you married to a lad who is so young
He will be a match for you when I am dead and gone
Your bonny boy, he's young and he's growing O

Oh father, dearest father, then I'll tell you what we'll do
We'll send my love to college for another year or two
All around his college cap we'll bind the ribbons blue
To let the ladies know that he's married O

Well, young Charlie Cochrane was the sprout of an oak
Blithe aye and bonny and straight was his neck
The sun, when it shone, it was all for his sake
He will be the pride of the forest O

Lady Mary Anne was the flower among the dew
Blithe aye and bonny and straight was her shoe
The longer she blossomed, well, the sweeter she grew
The lily in the bud will be bonnier O

Summer, it is gone when the leaves, they were green
Happy were the days that both you and I have seen
Far happier days, well, I trust will come again
My bonny boy, he's young and he's growing O

Oh well, at the age of sixteen years, he was a married man
At the age of seventeen, the father of his son
At the age of eighteen, o'er his grave the grass grew green
Cruel death had put an end to his growing O

I will weave my love a shroud of the ornamental brown
Whilst I am a-weaving it, the tears, they will fall down
For once I had a true love, but now he's lying low
I'll nurse his bonny boy while he's growing O

Growing O