The Bonnie Blue

 
 
 
 
1.	Tyrant trumpets sounded far 
 
	Horsemen rade their graith tae war 
 
	The English come up frae Dunbar 
 
	Upon a misty morning, 
 
	Prince Charlie wi' the Hieland host 
 
	Lay westward on the Lothian coast. 
 
	Johnny bragged wi' many's the boast 
 
	he'd roust them e'er next mornin'. 
 
 
 
R:	Run, run ye ganglin' crew 
 
	This morning's work ye lang will rue 
 
	The bonnie blue bonnets are after you 
 
	Tae wish ye's a' guid mornin… 
 
 
 
2.	Lang e'r the cock proclaimed it day 
 
	The Prince's men stood in array. 
 
	Though impatient for the fray, 
 
	Bent low the knee that morning. 
 
	When "Row dow dow" rolled the English drum, 
 
	The Hieland bagpipes ga'ed a bum 
 
	And told the mountain clans had come, 
 
	wi death and danger scorning. 
 
 
 
3.	Ilk hand was firm, ilk heart was true, 
 
	A shot and doon their guns they threw, 
 
	Forth the dreaded claymores drew 
 
	Upon that fearful morning. 
 
	The English raised a loud Huzzah! 
 
	But daur nane bide the brunt ava' 
 
	They wavered, turned, syne, ran awa', 
 
	Like sheep at shepherd's horning. 
 
 
 
4.	But sad mishap that few befell, 
 
	When faint had grown the battle's yell 
 
	Still Gardiner fought and fighting fell, 
 
	Upon that fatal morning. 
 
	Nae braggard, but a sodger he, 
 
	Wha scorned wi' coward loons tae flee 
 
	And fell beneath the auld thorn tree, 
 
	Upon that fearsome mornin'. 
 
 
 
5.	Fast, fast, their foot and horsemen flew 
 
	Caps were mixed wi' bonnie blue 
 
	Dirks were wet, but no wi' dew, 
 
	Upon that fatal morning. 
 
	Few stayed, save ae devoted band, 
 
	Tae bide the brunt of Hieland man 
 
	That swept aroond, and head and hand, 
 
	Upon that dreadful mornin'. 
 
 
 
6.	To boast of deeds becomes us ill, 
 
	Yet Scotland has her borders still 
 
	Be there some would have their will, 
 
	For want o' thought or learning 
 
	The Roman legions tried in vain, 
 
	The Saxon, Dane, the Norseman came 
 
	Nane o' them could us contain, 
 
	So heed this gentle warnin'. 
 
 
 
R:	Run, run ye ganglin' crew 
 
	This morning's work ye lang will rue 
 
	The bonnie blue bonnets are after you 
 
	Tae wish ye's a' guid mornin… 
 
R:	Run, run ye ganglin' crew 
 
	The bonnie blue bonnets are after you 
 
	All we really want to do 
 
	Is wish ye's a' guid mornin'!