Celtic Lyrics Corner > Artists & Groups > Old Blind Dogs > Play Live > The Battle Of Harlaw
Lyrics:
As I cam' in by Dunideer and doon by Nether Ha'
There were fifty thoosand' heilan' men a-marchin' tae Harlaw
Chorus (after each verse):
Wi' a diddy aye o' an' a fal an' doe
And a diddy aye o' aye ay
As I rade on an' farther on and doon an' by Balquhain
Was there I met Sir James the Rose and wi' him John the Graeme
"Cam' ye fae the Heilan's man? Cam' ye a' the wey?
Saw ye MacDonald and his men as they cam' in fae Skye?"
"It's I was near and near eneuch that I their numbers saw
There were fifty thoosan' heilan' men marchin' tae Harlaw"
Wi' a diddy aye o' an' a fal an' doe and a diddy aye o' aye ay
"Gin that be true," says James the Rose, "We'll no cam' muckle speed
We'll cry upon wir merry men, turn wir horse's heid"
"Oh na, oh na, my brither bold, this thing will nivver be
For the gallant Graemes were nivver beat, we'll try fit we can dae"
As they gaed on an' further on an' doon an' by Harlaw
There fell fu' close on ilka side sic straiks ye nivver saw
The Heilan' men wi' their lang swords fell on us fu' sair
And they drave back wir merry men three acres breadth or mair
An' Forbes tae his brither did say, "Hey brither, can't you see
They've beaten us close on ilka side and we'll be forced tae flee"
"Oh na, oh na, my brither bold, this thing will nivver be
Ye'll tak yer guid sword in yer haun' and ye'll gang in wi' me"
Well, it's back tae back the brithers bold gaed in amangst the thrang
And they drave back the heilan' men wi' swords both sharp and lang
An' the firstan stroke that Forbes struck, he gart MacDonald reel
An' the neistan stroke that Forbes struck, the brave MacDonald fell
An siccan a ptlairchie o' the likes ye nivver saw
As was amang the Heilan' men when they saw MacDonald fa'
Some rade, some ran and some did gang, they were o' sma' record
Forbes and his merry men, he slew them on the road
O' fifty thoosan' Heilan' men, fifty-three gaed hame
Oot o' a' the Lowlan' men, fifty marched wi' Graeme
Gin onybody spier at ye o' them that marched awa'
I'll tell ye plain and very plain they're sleepin' at Harlaw
