Thomas Billington (arr.)
(1754 - ?1832)

Ann, thou were my ain thing
(S.A.B.)
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Billington issued two sets of "glees selected from the Scotch songs" in the late 1780s, to satisfy two contemporary enthusiasms: that for mixed sex social music, and that for all things North-British. The current arrangement comes from the second set.
Lyrics: Anon

Ann, thou were my ain thing,
O, I would love thee;
Ann, thou were my ain thing,
How dearly do I love thee.

Then I would clasp thee in my arms,
Then I'd secure thee from all harms,
For above mortal thou hast charms;
How dearly do I love thee.

Ann, thou were my ain thing,
O, I would love thee;
Ann, thou were my ain thing,
How dearly do I love thee.

Of race divine thou needs must be,
Since nothing earthly equals thee;
So I must still presumptuous be
To shew how much I love thee.

Ann, thou were my ain thing,
O, I would love thee;
Ann, thou were my ain thing,
How dearly do I love thee.

The gods one thing peculiar have,
To ruin none when they can save.
O, for their sakes, support a slave
Who only lives to love thee.

Ann, thou were my ain thing,
O, I would love thee;
Ann, thou were my ain thing,
How dearly do I love thee.

To merit I no claim can make
But that I love, and for your sake
What man can name, I'll undertake
So dearly do I love thee.

Ann, thou were my ain thing,
O, I would love thee;
Ann, thou were my ain thing,
How dearly do I love thee.

My passion, constant as the sun,
Flames stronger still; will ne'er have done
Till fates my thread of life have spun,
Which breathing out, I'll love thee.