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18 Feb 11 - 03:23 PM (#3098177) Subject: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' From: GUEST,Jar Muller Is anybody who knows the lyrics of "The Battle of Harlow" song here ? Even if I love Scottish songs this is not my native language and I don't think I will ever be able to understand The Corries singing this song in full... jaromir.muller@seznam.cz is my personal e-mail box. |
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18 Feb 11 - 03:28 PM (#3098180) Subject: RE: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' From: GUEST Here |
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18 Feb 11 - 03:31 PM (#3098183) Subject: RE: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' From: GUEST,John MacKenzie and Here Sorry the previous post was me too. |
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18 Feb 11 - 03:38 PM (#3098189) Subject: RE: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' From: GUEST,Jar Thanks a lot... |
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18 Feb 11 - 04:12 PM (#3098208) Subject: RE: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' From: michaelr Even with those lyrics in front of you it may be difficult to understand... Feel free to ask for clarification. |
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18 Feb 11 - 04:29 PM (#3098216) Subject: RE: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' From: BobKnight It's "The Battle O' Harlaw" NOT Harlow, and refers to a real event in the 15th century at a place outside Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. |
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18 Feb 11 - 04:35 PM (#3098218) Subject: RE: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' From: BobKnight Just looked at the lyric sheet already given - no wonder you can't understand it. For instance "skree" should read Skye. Looks like a non-native of Scotland tried to translate and made a dog's breakfast of it. Go to www.antobarandualchais.co.uk which is the website for The School of Scottish Studies, and look for the lyrics there. Also look for a sound recording of Jeannie Robertson singing it. That should at least set you on the right track.
-Joe Offer- |
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18 Feb 11 - 04:49 PM (#3098230) Subject: RE: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' (Harlaw) From: michaelr See also the links at the top of this thread. |
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18 Feb 11 - 04:55 PM (#3098236) Subject: RE: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' (Harlaw) From: Joe Offer Hi, Bob - I found "Skee" in what I think is "the lyric sheet already given" - this one, right? I believe that link gets its text from a very good transcription of Child. I can't reach my Dover edition of Child just now, but "Skee" is what appears in the Loomis House edition of Child, #163 A. Can somebody check an earlier edition of Child and see what appears there? That being said, it's "Skye" in many other versions of the song in Bronson and Greig-Duncan and others, so it looks like it could be Child's mistake. -Joe- |
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18 Feb 11 - 04:58 PM (#3098238) Subject: RE: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' (Harlaw) From: BobKnight Thanks Joe for adding the link. |
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18 Feb 11 - 05:32 PM (#3098265) Subject: RE: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' (Harlaw) From: Jim McLean Yes, Joe, the Dover edition says 'As they cam frae the Skee'. No one, however, would say 'the' Skee or even 'the' Skye. |
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18 Feb 11 - 07:37 PM (#3098352) Subject: RE: Lyrics of 'The Battle of Harlow' (Harlaw) From: Dave MacKenzie HARLAW (#163) As I cam' by the Garioch land And doon by Netherha' There were fifty thoosand Hielanmen A-marchin' tae Harlaw. Singin' didee-i-o, Sing fal la do, Sing didee-i-o-i-ay. It's did ye come frae the Hielans, man Or did ye come a' the wey, An' did ye see MacDonald an' his men As they marched frae Skye? For I've come frae the Hielans, man, An' I've come a' the wey, An' I saw MacDonald an' his men As they marched frae Skye. It's wis ye near and near enough, Did ye their number see? Come tell to me, John Hielanman, What might their number be? For I was near and near enough An' I their number saw: There were fifty thoosand Hielanmen, A-marchin' tae Harlaw. For they went on and furder on An' doon an' by Balquhain: It's there they met Sir James the Rose, Wi' him Sir John the Graham. "If that's be true", said Sir James the Rose, "We'll no come muckle speed. We'll call upon oor merry me An' we'll turn oor horses' heids". "Oh nay, oh nay", said Sir John the Graham, "Sic things we maunna dee: For the gallant Grahams were never bate An' we'll try fit they can dee". For they went on an' furder on An' doon an' by Harlaw: They fell full close on ilka side, Sic strikes ye never saw. They fell full close on ilka side, Sic strikes ye never saw For ilka sword gied clash for clash At the battle o' Harlaw. But the Hielanmen wi' their lang swords They laid on us fu' sair; They drove back oor merry men Three acres breadth an' mair. Lord Forbes tae his brither did say "O brither, dinna ye see? They beat us back on every side, And we'll be forced to flee". "O nay, o nay, my brither dear, O nay, that maunna be. Ye'll tak' your guid sword in your hand An' ye'll gang in wi' me". For the twa brithers brave Gaed in amangst the thrang; They struck doon the Hielanmen Wi' swords baith sharp an' lang. The first strike Lord Forbes gied The brave MacDonald reeled; The second strike Lord Forbes gied The brave MacDonald fell. What a cry amangst the Hielanmen When they seed their leader fa'; They lifted him an' buried him A lang mile frae Harlaw. Gin onybody speir at you For them that cam' awa', Ye can tell them plain an' verra plain They're sleepin' at Harlaw. From the singing of Jeannie Robertson. As printed in "The Scottish Folksinger", collected and edited by Norman Buchan and Peter Hall, Collins, 1973. |