The Battle Of Harlaw - Old Blind Dogs

I cam' in by Dunideer and doon by Nether Ha'

There were fifty thousand' heilan' men a-marchin' tae Harlaw

Chorus: Wi' a diddy aye o' an' a fal an' doe

and a diddy aye o' aye ay

As I gaed on an' farther on and doon an' by Balquhain

Oh it’s there I saw Sir James the Rose and wi' him John the Graeme

(Chorus)

«It's cam' ye fae the Heilan’s man, cam' ye a' the wey?

Saw ye MacDonald and his men as they cam' in frae Skye?»

(Chorus)

«It's I was near and near eneuch that I their numbers saw

There was fifty thoosan' heilan' men a-marchin' tae Harlaw»

(Chorus)

Gin that be true,"says James the Rose, «We'll no cam' muckle speed

We’ll cry upon wir merry men and turn wir horse’s heid»

(Chorus)

«Oh na, o' na,"says John the Graeme, «This thing will nivver be»

The gallant Graemes wis nivver beat, we’ll try fit we can dae

(Chorus)

Well, as I gaed on an' further on an' doon an' by Harlaw

There fell fu' close on ilka side sic straiks ye nivver saw

(Chorus)

There fell fu' close on ilka side sic straiks ye nivver saw

An' ilka sword gaed clash for clash at the Battle of Harlaw

(Chorus)

The Heilan' men wi' their lang swords, they laid on us fu' sair

And they drave back wir merry men three acres breadth and mair

(Chorus)

Forbes tae his brither did say, «Noo brither, can’t ye see

They’ve beaten us back on ilka side and we’ll be forced tae flee

(Chorus)

Oh na, na, my brither bold, this thing will nivver be

Ye’ll tak yer guid sword in yer haun', ye’ll gang in wi' me

(Chorus)

Well, it’s back tae back the brithers bold gaed in amangst the thrang

And they drave back the heilan' men wi' swords baith sharp and lang

(Chorus)

An' the firstan stroke that Forbes struck, he gart MacDonald reel

An' the neistan straik that Forbes struck, the brave MacDonald fell

(Chorus)

An siccan a ptlairchie o' the likes ye nivver saw

As wis amangst the Heilan' men fan they saw MacDonald fa'

(Chorus)

Some rade, some ran and some did gang, they were o' sma' record

For Forbes and his merry men, they slew them on the road

(Chorus)

O' fifty thoosan' Heilan' men, but fifty-three gaed hame

And oot o' a' the Lawlan' men, fifty marched wi' Graeme

(Chorus)

Gin onybody spier at ye for them that marched awa'

Ye can tell them plain and very plain they’re sleepin' at Harlaw

Wi' a diddy aye o' an' a fal an' doe

and a diddy aye o' aye ay