Here's a song I wrote for a Highland Clearance collection. It's called

The Laird's Prayer

Oh God who sends us all things - partridge, grouse, and deer
Send the aristocracy to dae some hunting here
My loyal Royal ancestors who got me this estate
To please their English masters forced the folk to emigrate,
Forced the folk to emigrate,
Oh Lord thou kenst me well
       Though my name's MacPhee I'll try to be
       As English as yersel'


I'm a simple Highland lairdie, so hear my lairdie's prayer
And always on the Sabbath I'll be yours for evermair
The fishing here is sacred, there's peace within the glen
Since you helped us clear the Highlands of the Sabbath-drinkin' men,
Of the Sabbath drinkin men,
Oh Lord thou kenst me well
       Though my name's MacPhee I'll try to be
       As English as yersel'


The empty crofters shielings, we've turned into pens
For sheep can aye be bought and sold, but men are - well: just men
You ken this fine, great shepherd, for you would do the same
Except for your righteous English flock of double-barrelled name,
Of double-barrelled name.
Oh Lord thou kenst me well
       Though my name's MacPhee I'll try to be
       As English as yersel'


How holy is Balmoral, now all our hymns are sung
By our betters down in Crathie in the Anglo-Saxon tongue
And should the Gaels return, and I am forced to flee
Let me be down in London town, nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer my God to Thee.
Oh Lord thou kenst me well
       Though my name's MacPhee I'll try to be
       As English as yersel'

Jim McLean