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When We Gaed To The Braes O' Mar

 

Burns Original

Standard English Translation

 

When We Gaed To The Braes O' Mar
TUNE: Up, and warn a', Willie

Chorus
Up, and warn a', Willie,
Warn, warn, a';
To hear my canty Highland sang
Relate the thing I saw, Willie.
1.
When we gaed to the braes o' Mar,
And to the weapon-shaw, Willie;
Wi' true design to serve the king
And banish Whigs awa, Willie.
Up, and warn a', Willie,
Warn, warn, a';
For lords and lairds came there bedeen,
And wow! but they were braw, Willie.
2.
But when the standard was set up,
Right fierce the wind did blaw, Willie,
The royal nit upon the tap
Down to the ground did fa', Willie.
Up, and warn a', Willie,
Warn, warn, a';
Then second-sighted Sandie said
We'ed do nae gude at a', Willie.
3.
But when the army join'd at Perth,
The bravest e'er ye saw, Willie,
We didna doubt the rogues to rout,
Restore our king an a', Willie.
Up, and warn a', Willie,
Warn, warn, a';
The pipers play'd frae right to left
O whirry Whigs awa, Willie.
4.
But when we march'd to Sherramuir
And there the rebels saw, Willie;
Brave Arglyle attack'd our right,
Our flank, and front and a', Willie;
Up, and warn a', Willie,
Warn, warn, a';
Traitor Huntly soon gave way,
Seaforth, St. Clair and a', Willie.
5.
But brave Glengarry on our right
The rebels' left did claw, Willie;
He there the greatest slaughter made
That ever Donald saw, Willie;
Up, and warn a', Willie,
Warn, warn, a';
And Whittam fyled his breeks for fear,
And fast did rin awa, Willie.
6.
For he ca'd us a Highland mob,
And soon he'd slay us a', Willie;
But we chas'd him back to Stirling brig -
Dragoons, and foot, and a', Willie.
Up, and warn a', Willie,
Warn, warn, a';
At length we rallied on a hill,
And briskly up did draw, Willie.
7.
But when Argyle did view our line
And them in order saw, Willie,
He straight gaed to Dumblane again,
And back his left did draw, Willie.
Up, and warn a', Willie,
Warn, warn, a';
Then we to Auchterairder march'd
To wait a better fa', Willie.
8.
Now if ye spier wha wan the day,
I've tell'd you what I saw, Willie,
We baith did fight, and baith did beat,
And baith did rin awa, Willie.
Up, and warn a', Willie,
Warn, warn, a';
For second-sighted Sandy said
We'd do nae gude at a', Willie.

 

 

When We Went To The Slopes Of Mar
(Up, and warn all, Willie)

Chorus
Up, and warn all, Willie,
Warn, warn, all;
To hear my cheerful Highland song
Relate the thing I saw, Willie.

When we went to the hill-slopes of Mar,
And to the weapon show, Willie;
With true design to serve the king
And banish Whigs away, Willie.
Up, and warn all, Willie,
Warn, warn, all;
For lords and lairds came there bedeen (bedecked),
And wow! but they were handsome, Willie.

But when the standard was set up,
Right fierce the wind did blow, Willie,
The royal nut upon the top
Down to the ground did fall, Willie.
Up, and warn all, Willie,
Warn, warn, all;
Then second-sighted Sandie said
We would do no good at all, Willie.

But when the army joined at Perth,
The bravest ever you saw, Willie,
We did not doubt the rogues to rout,
Restore our king an all, Willie.
Up, and warn all, Willie,
Warn, warn, all;
The pipers played from right to left
O whirry Whigs awa, Willie.

But when we marched to Sherramuir
And there the rebels saw, Willie;
Brave Arglyle attacked our right,
Our flank, and front and all, Willie;
Up, and warn all, Willie,
Warn, warn, all;
Traitor Huntly soon gave way,
Seaforth, St. Clair and all, Willie.

But brave Glengarry on our right
The rebels' left did thrash, Willie;
He there the greatest slaughter made
That ever Donald saw, Willie;
Up, and warn all, Willie,
Warn, warn, all;
And Whittam soiled his trousers for fear,
And fast did run away, Willie.

For he called us a Highland mob,
And soon he would slay us all, Willie;
But we chased him back to Stirling bridge -
Dragoons, and foot, and all, Willie.
Up, and warn all, Willie,
Warn, warn, all;
At length we rallied on a hill,
And briskly up did draw, Willie.

But when Argyle did view our line
And them in order saw, Willie,
He straight went to Dumblane again,
And back his left did draw, Willie.
Up, and warn all, Willie,
Warn, warn, all;
Then we to Auchterairder marched
To wait a better fall, Willie.

Now if you ask who won the day,
I have told you what I saw, Willie,
We both did fight, and both did beat,
And both did run away, Willie.
Up, and warn all, Willie,
Warn, warn, all;
For second-sighted Sandy said
We would do no good at all, Willie.

 

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