Poetry Friday -- Scottish Battle Songs

Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled,

Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,

Welcome to your gory bed

Or to victorie!

Now's the day, and now's the hour:

See the front o' battle lour,

See approach proud Edward's power

Chains and slaverie!

Wha will be a traitor knave?

Wha can fill a coward's grave?

Wha sae base as be a slave?

Let him turn, and fleel

Wha for Scotland's King and Law

Freedom's sword will strongly draw,

Freeman stand, or freeman fa',

Let him follow me!

By Oppression's woes and pains,

By your sons in servile chains,

We will drain our dearest veins

But they shall be free!

Robert Burns Traditional Scottish Songs

Aidan loves to bellow out this one:

Sound the Pibroch

Sound the pibroch loud and high,
From John O'Groats to the Isle o' Skye!
Let a' the Clans their slogan cry
And rise and follow Charlie!

Chorus
Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
Tha tighin fodham, fodham, fodham
To rise and follow Charlie!

And see a small devoted band,
By dark Loch Shiel have ta'en their stand
And proudly vow with heart and hand,
To fight for Royal Charlie!

Chorus

Frae eery hill and every glen,
Are gatherin' fast the loyal men;
They grasp their dirks and shout again,
"Hurrah! for Royal Charlie!"

Chorus

On dark Culloden's field of gore
Hark! hark! they shout, "Claymore! Claymore!"
They bravely fight, what can they more?
They die for Royal Charlie!

Chorus

No more we'll see such deeds again,
Deserted is each Highland glen,
And lonely cairns are o'er the men,
Who fought and died for Charlie!

Chorus

The White Rose blossoms forth again,
Deep in sheltered Highland glens;
And soon we'll hear the cry we ken
Tae rise! And fight for Charlie!

In this spirit check out Freedom! at the Latin-Centered Curriculum. And follow this link to William Wallace.