I got to hear Archie sing this last night and then talk to him about it! Malcolm is quite correct about the author, as Archie explained to me, although I heard the name as Lady Jean Scott. Archie is doing some research on her. He also says that the poem - it was written as a poem, but she did also compose tunes, if not this one--was written as a commemoration of the Battle Of Flodden (Fields) where "the cream of Scottish nobility" were slaughtered. Interesting given that there's no direct reference to this event in the lyrics.

I can't find the album ("Off The Map"), but I'm sure the liner notes on it attributed the words to Lady Nairne. Well, watch me be wrong about that too.

Unfortunately Archie is temporarily labelless or as he somewhat gleefully puts it "internationally deleted", he didn't have any CD's with him having sold out earlier on the tour...but he says he'll be making a new album in the spring.

Willie-O