This song describes a battle in 1715 during the Jacobite uprising. Sheriffmuir is north of the Ochil Hills between Srirling and Auchterarder. The song was written by Robert Burns in 1787, and he revised it in 1790. The ‘Cameronian Rant’ is the melody used for the song, and the narrative describes the dialogue between two shepherds who witnessed the battle.
lyrics
O, cam ye here the fight to shun
Or herd the sheep wi' me, man?
Or were ye at the Sherramuir
Or did the battle see, man?
I saw the battle, sair and teugh
And reekin-red ran many a sheugh
My heart for fear gae sough for sough
To hear the thuds, and see the cluds
O' clans frae woods in tartan duds
Wha glaum'd at kingdoms three, man
Hey dum a-hidder dum a hey dum dan
Hey dum a-hidder um hey dan
Hey dum a-hidder dum a hey dum dandy
Hey dum hidder dum hey dan!
The red-coat lads wi' black cockades
Did meet them when they slaw, man
They rushed and pushed and blood outgushed
And many a bouk did fall, man!
The great Argyle led on his files
I wat they glanc'd for twenty miles
They hough'd the clans like nine-pin kyles
They hacked and hash'd, while broadswords clash'd
Through they dashed, and hewed and smashed
Till fey men died awa, man
Hey dum a-hidder dum a hey dum dan
Hey dum a-hidder um hey dan
Hey dum a-hidder dum a hey dum dandy
Hey dum hidder dum hey dan!
Had you seen the philibegs
And skyrin tartan trews, man
When in the teeth they daur'd our Whigs
And Covenant trueblues, man!
Lines extended lang and large
Bayonets o'erpower'd the targe
Thousands hasten'd tae the charge
Wi' Hieland wrath they frae the sheath
Drew blades o' death, till oot o' breath
They fled like frighted dows, man
Hey dum a-hidder dum a hey dum dan
Hey dum a-hidder um hey dan
Hey dum a-hidder dum a hey dum dandy
Hey dum hidder dum hey dan!
They lost some gallant gentlemen
Among the Hieland clans, man!
I fear my Lord Panmure is slain
Or in his enemies' hands, man
Wad ye sing this double flight
Some died for wrang, and some for right
Many bade the world goodnight
Sae pell, sae mell, wi' muskets' knell
Tories fell, and Whigs to Hell
Flew off in frighted bands, man
Hey dum a-hidder dum a hey dum dan
Hey dum a-hidder um hey dan
Hey dum a-hidder dum a hey dum dandy
Hey dum hidder dum hey dan!
Ah, Hey dum a-hidder dum a hey dum dan
Hey dum a-hidder um hey dan
Hey dum a-hidder dum a hey dum dandy
Hey dum hidder dum hey dan!
credits
from The Roke,
released September 12, 2021
Arranged by Colin Blakey
Lead vocal: Marshall Stormonth
Guitars, border horns, backing vocal: Colin Blakey
Bodhran: Kenny Welsh
Over the years Colin has enjoyed playing world, folk, roots, psychedlic, rock, ska, and classical music. He learned enough
about jazz and Indian classical music to know that he will need a few more lifetimes to follow up those genres. He continues to write and record from his home in Argyll, Scotland, under the name of 'Orchestra Macaroon'....more
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