The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #6615   Message #606457
Posted By: Susanne (skw)
08-Dec-01 - 06:16 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: The Corries
Subject: Lyr Add: THE SHERRAMUIR FIGHT (Trad / Robert Burns
Thanks, Nikolaus! In case the link gets lost:

THE SHERRAMUIR FIGHT
(Trad / Robert Burns)

O cam' ye here the fight tae shun, or herd the sheep wi' me, man
Or were ye at the Sherra-moor, or did the battle see, man
I saw the battle sair and teuch, and reekin' red ran many a sheugh
My heart for fear gae'd sough for sough
Tae hear the thuds and see the cluds o' Clans frae woods in tartan duds
Wha glaum'd at kingdoms three man

The red-coat lads wi' black cockauds to meet them werenae slow, man
They rush'd and push'd and blood outgush'd, and many a bouk did fa', man
The great Argyle led on his files, I wat they glanc'd for twenty miles
They hough'd the Clans like nine-pin kyles
They hack'd and hash'd while braid swords clash'd and thro' they dash'd and hew'd and smash'd
Till fey men died awa', man

Had ye seen the philibegs wi' skyrin tartan trews, man
When in the teeth they dar'd our Whigs and covenant Trueblues, man
Lines extended lang and large, bayonets o'erpower'd the targe
Thousands hasten'd to the charge
Wi' Highland wrath they frae the sheath drew blades o' death till out o' breath
They fled like frighted dows, man

They've lost some gallant gentlemen amang the Hieland clans, man
I fear my Lord Panmuir is slain or in his en'mies' hands, man
Now wad ye sing this double flight, some cried for wrang and some for right
And many bade the warld gudenight
Sae pell, sae mell, wi' muskets knell, Tories fell and Whigs to hell
Flew off in frighted bands, man

As far as I know these lyrics are Robert Burns' reworking of the song as published in vol 3 of The Scots Musical Museum.

Iain Stewart - 'A Man's A Man' was just outside your time limit, but what about Hamish Henderson's 'Freedom Come-All-Ye'? Compared to those (and a lot of others I can think of), 'Flower of Scotland' seems to me fairly - let's say uncomplicated! You're entitled to your opinion, of course, but why put it in such absolute language?