Hi all,

I'm a native German speaker, but I've managed learning a wee bit of Scots over the years through regular listening to Scottish music. Yet I've never been able to fully understand Hamish Henderson's classic "Freedom Come All Ye", which many of you might know and love as much as myself. This is some heavy stuff ;) Might some of you Scotsmen please enlighten me in the meaning of some words and the general message of that song? What I think is that it's an "internationalist people's liberation song", but maybe there's more behind it?

I've put the lyrics (as given on Dick Gaughan's page) below, and I've put the unclear expressions in capital letters and added a few comments. Yes, there are many capital letters ;)

Roch the win i the clear day's dawin Blaws the clouds HEILSTER-GOWDIE owre the bay But there's MAIR NOR A ROCH roch win blawin ("more nor a rough"? What kind of expression is that?) Thro the Great Glen o the warl the day It's a thocht that wad GAR OUR ROTTANS (no idea at all) Aa thae rogues that gang GALLUS fresh an gay Tak the road an seek ither loanins Wi thair ill-ploys tae sport an play

(Second verse is relatively clear, so now the 3rd)

Sae come aa ye AT HAME WI FREEDOM (at home with freedom? what does Henderson try to say with that?) Never heed whit the HOUDIES croak for Doom In yer hous aa the bairns o Aidam Will fin breid, barley-bree an paintit room WHAN MCLEAN MEETS WI'S FRIENS IN SPRINGBURN (who's "McLean & his friends" and why "Springburn"?) Aa thae roses an GEEANS will turn tae blume An a black LAUD frae YONT (=yonder?) Nyanga DINGS THE FELL gallows o the burghers doun.

Thanks so much for your help.

Greetings, Stefan