| I cam' in by Dunideer and doon by Nether Ha'
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| There were fifty thousand' heilan' men a-marchin' tae Harlaw
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| Chorus: Wi' a diddy aye o' an' a fal an' doe
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| and a diddy aye o' aye ay
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| As I gaed on an' farther on and doon an' by Balquhain
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| Oh it’s there I saw Sir James the Rose and wi' him John the Graeme
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| (Chorus)
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| «It's cam' ye fae the Heilan’s man, cam' ye a' the wey?
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| Saw ye MacDonald and his men as they cam' in frae Skye?»
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| (Chorus)
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| «It's I was near and near eneuch that I their numbers saw
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| There was fifty thoosan' heilan' men a-marchin' tae Harlaw»
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| (Chorus)
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| Gin that be true,"says James the Rose, «We'll no cam' muckle speed
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| We’ll cry upon wir merry men and turn wir horse’s heid»
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| (Chorus)
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| «Oh na, o' na,"says John the Graeme, «This thing will nivver be»
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| The gallant Graemes wis nivver beat, we’ll try fit we can dae
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| (Chorus)
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| Well, as I gaed on an' further on an' doon an' by Harlaw
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| There fell fu' close on ilka side sic straiks ye nivver saw
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| (Chorus)
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| There fell fu' close on ilka side sic straiks ye nivver saw
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| An' ilka sword gaed clash for clash at the Battle of Harlaw
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| (Chorus)
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| The Heilan' men wi' their lang swords, they laid on us fu' sair
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| And they drave back wir merry men three acres breadth and mair
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| (Chorus)
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| Forbes tae his brither did say, «Noo brither, can’t ye see
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| They’ve beaten us back on ilka side and we’ll be forced tae flee
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| (Chorus)
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| Oh na, na, my brither bold, this thing will nivver be
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| Ye’ll tak yer guid sword in yer haun', ye’ll gang in wi' me
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| (Chorus)
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| Well, it’s back tae back the brithers bold gaed in amangst the thrang
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| And they drave back the heilan' men wi' swords baith sharp and lang
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| (Chorus)
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| An' the firstan stroke that Forbes struck, he gart MacDonald reel
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| An' the neistan straik that Forbes struck, the brave MacDonald fell
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| (Chorus)
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| An siccan a ptlairchie o' the likes ye nivver saw
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| As wis amangst the Heilan' men fan they saw MacDonald fa'
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| (Chorus)
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| Some rade, some ran and some did gang, they were o' sma' record
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| For Forbes and his merry men, they slew them on the road
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| (Chorus)
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| O' fifty thoosan' Heilan' men, but fifty-three gaed hame
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| And oot o' a' the Lawlan' men, fifty marched wi' Graeme
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| (Chorus)
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| Gin onybody spier at ye for them that marched awa'
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| Ye can tell them plain and very plain they’re sleepin' at Harlaw
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| Wi' a diddy aye o' an' a fal an' doe
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| and a diddy aye o' aye ay |