Woe be to the orders that took my love away And woe be to the cruel cause that bed 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 drumbeat, in the morning, before the break of day And the small, wee fife played loud and clear, while yet the morn' was grey And, aye, the bonny flag unfurled, 'twas a gallant sight to see Woe to me, my soldier lad must march to Germany Long, long is the travelin' to the bonny pier of Leith And bleak it was to gang there, with a snowstorm in your teeth And, aye, the wind blew sharp and strong, and a tear rolled in my ear I came there to see my love embark for Germany As I gazed o'er 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 bed 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