THE BORDER QUEEN
by James Thomson
———
Where Slitrig dances doon the glen
To join the Teviot waters,
There dwell auld Hawick’s honest men,
And Hawick’s bright-eyed daughters,
And weel we lo’e the guid auld toon,
Ilk’ nuik frae end to end on’t,
She aye has kept the causa croon,
And ever independent.
Chorus—
What tho’ her lads are wild a wee,
And ill to keep in order,
’Mang ither toons she bears the gree.
The Queen o’ a’ the Border.
’Bout forest trees let Gala brag,
We care na’ what belang them,
They ha’e nae Teri-Odin flag,
There’s no a moat among them,
They ha’e nae Common pasture peats,
They’ve neither grants nor charters,
A soor ploom tree, a fox that sits
Upon its hinder quarters.
Chorus—
Unfold the Teri-Odin flag
To kiss the breeze o’ summer,
And list again th’ inspiring strain
Led on by Wat the drummer,
The Halberdiers wi’ buttons clear,
Like sunbeams brightly glancing;
The Cornet and his merry men
On mettled steeds are prancing.
Chorus—
Then let the “Braw Lads” come the morn,
And ilk’ ane bring his dearie,
They’ll wish that they had ne’er been born,
Or else been born a Teri.
And up wi’ Hawick three times three,
The loon that winna chorus’t
May hang upon a soor ploom tree,
And sleep in Ettrick forest.
Chorus—
UP WI’ THE BANNER
by James Thomson
———
Hail to the banner that proudly floats o’er us,
Hail to the brave hearts that bear it along;
Proudly we glance at the record before us,
True hearted heroes so famous in song.
Chorus—
Up wi’ the banner high.
Hark to the gathering cry.
Dear to each heart is the old native strain;
Children and bearded men
Join in the old refrain,
Shout Teriodin again and again.
Oceans may sever our sons from their native land,
Firm beat their hearts for the homes of the free,
Leaps still the Hawick blood, free as the gushing flood,
Unstemm’d as the torrents that rush to the sea.
Chorus—
Boast, Hawick, boast of the deeds of your fathers,
Look to the trophy so gallantly won;
As ages roll o’er us fresh laurels we’ll gather;
Guard well her honour each true-hearted son.
Chorus—
Up to your saddles, the slogan is sounding;
Hauberk and Halberd in gallant array,
The heroes are marshalled, the mettled steeds are bounding;
Follow your Cornet, away and away.
Chorus—
UP WI’ AULD HAWICK
by Thomas Caldwell
———
There’s a toon, by hills surrounded,
Stands by bonnie Teviot’s side,
Famous lang in Border story,
We recall her feats with pride;
As her sons were ever foremost
In the foray and the fray,
Ever foremost you will find them
In life’s peaceful strife to-day.
Chorus—
Then up wi’ auld Hawick,
O’ the Borders the Queen,
Let fraternity reign
Ilka Teri between;
For lads leal and true,
And lasses braw and fair,
There’s nae toon amang them a’
Can wi’ oor toon compare.
We’ve a flag won by the valour
Of our fearless sires of yore;
We’ve a Common, we’ll defend it
From the spoiler evermore;
We’ve a moat which, down the ages,
Witness’d many a deed of fame,
When in might Hawick’s sons arising
Drove invasion back again.
Chorus—
Shout aloud the grand old slogan,
Spread the banner to the gale,
And as year to year is added,
Let them tell proud freedom’s tale;
And though youth gives place to manhood,
And old age each life steals o’er,
May each Teri be a Callant
In his heart for evermore.
Chorus—
Make the merry drums to rattle,
Let the fife scream shrill and clear;
Sweeter than Apollo’s numbers
Is their music to my ear;
East and West unite their greetings,
As on soft June zephyrs borne,
Absent Teries’ thoughts fly homewards,
On each Common-Riding morn.
Chorus—
THE MOSSTROOPERS’ SONG
by J. E. D. Murray
———
A ken o’ a stream lang streekit an’ blue
That brings quaint thochts as it wammuls oot thro’,
It flows thrae lang syne an’ wumplin alang,
Keeps aye croonin’ owre an auld Border sang,
The braes that it laps seem glintin’ o’ gold,
By ages oo coont the time it has roll’d.
An’ year after year as June days draw nigh,
A horseman stands guard wi’ flag tae the sky.
Chorus—
Four hunder horsemen in yeh streekit line,
Wardens o’ customs come doon thrae lang syne:
Four hunder horsemen duist yin ev’ry year,
Upliftin’ the slogan a’ Teries haud dear.
This stream has to huz a chairm o’ its ain,
It minds us o’ fecht in days that are gane,
For ev’ry summer it cries oot wi’ pride,
“Where is ma Cornet? Get mounted an’ ride!”
Sae fer fer back the lang road it has come,
A Cornet there’s been wi’ tuck o’ the drum.
The callants o’ Hawick revere and acclaim
The heroes that got their banner o’ fame.
Chorus—
Four hunder riding men steadfast an’ true,
Rearing on high the banner o’ blue,
Each proudly wavin’ his flag in the air,
Four hunder Cornets, four hunder an’ mair.
The Bonnie Banner Blue
by Alan G. Brydon
———
As the morning sun crests Ruberslaw tae dawn the breaking day,
And a summer breeze floats ower the valley side tae lift the mist away;
There’s an echo frae the past o’ bonnie Teviotdale oo’ll ever cherish dear,
And its carried ower oor Borderland each Common Riding year.
Chorus—
It’s royal blue
Wi’ gold running through,
The pride o’ Hawick callants sae gallant and true;
Ev’ry honest Teri hert is ever loyal to
The Bonnie Banner Blue.
As the fall of Flodden echoed roond wi’ mony a widow’s wail,
When the raiders came oor callants stood in defence o’ Teviotdale;
They were only local laddies held frae Flodden Field, a toonsfolk tae defend,
Yet wi’ stalwart herts they captured the flag and rode back hame as men.
Chorus—
At the formal Colour Bussing by a bonnie Cornet’s Lass,
All eyes are on oor Cornet as the Provost states the task;
‘This sacred cloth in glorious defence o’ Hawick oor callants bravely gained;
Lift it high wi’ pride and return tae me unsullied and unstained.’
Chorus—
Oor Cornet rides wi’ Border pride tae mark oor Common clear,
And hei carries ev’ry Teri hert and is lifted by their cheers;
Oor ancient fine traditions he has soondly held, oor customs tae the fore,
As he lifts Hawick’s famous banner, independence evermore.
Chorus—
BONNIE TEVIOTDALE
by John Halliday
———
Talk not to me of brighter lands
Beyond the stormy sea,
Their streams may run with golden sands
But what are they to me?
I care na’ for the gems they boast,
Though true may be their tale,
Gi’e me the heather floo’er that blooms
In bonnie Teviotdale.
For hearts I love beat kindly there
In sweet response to mine,
And pleasing looks from friendly eyes
Upon my pathway shine.
I’m happy as the bird whose song
Floats o’er the scented vale,
And for the world I wouldna’ leave
My bonnie Teviotdale.
Perhaps if ye should come that way
You’d own at once wi’ me,
The lasses are as lovely there
As eye o’ man can see.
I have a floo’er I ca’ my ain,
The sweetest in the vale:
For her dear sake I’ll never leave
Oor bonnie Teviotdale.
THE SOFT LOWLAND TONGUE
by William Sanderson
———
O blythe is the lilt o’ his ain mither tongue
To the exile that’s lang been a-roamin’;
It brings back to mind the auld sangs that were sung,
Roon’ his faither’s fireside at the gloamin’!
It brings back the scent o’ the heathery braes,
The soond o’ the wee burnie’s wimple,
The laughin’ and daffin’ o’ youth’s happy days
When his cheeks’ deepest line was a dimple.
Chorus—
What tho’ in the ha’s o’ the great we may meet
Wi’ men o’ high rank and braw orders?
Oor hearts sigh for hame, and nae music’s sae sweet
As the soft lowland tongue o’ the Borders.
Fu’ aften the wand’rer comes back in his dreams
To banks whaur the hazels are growin’,
Whaur Teviot, Gala, or Jed’s bonnie streams,
Or Tweed’s crystal waters are rowin’;
He hears the auld tongue frae the stout border lad,
As he follows the plough or the harrow;
The Border lass sings it in strains sweet tho’ sad,
On the banks o’ the Ettrick or Yarrow.
Chorus—
The tongue that was spoken by Leyden and Scott,
By Hogg near the lonely St. Mary,
Shall never by true Border hearts be forgot,
Tho’ times wi’ their changes may vary.
Oh, lang may sweet peace and prosperity reign,
And keep oor dear hames frae disorders;
And lang may we welcome that auld-world strain,
The soft lowland tongue o’ the Borders.
Chorus—
AND WE RIDE
Words and Music Alan G Brydon
———
This is our land, it is our right
To live in peace, or ride by night
For they may come and they may try
But we will Aye Defend until we die
Chorus—
And we ride In defence of our land
And we ride By the strength of our hand
And we ride Over our borderland
And we ride, and we ride, and we ride
The nobles marched, doon frae the north
But their power bade abin’ the River Forth
And frae the Sooth the soldiers came
And we drove them ower the line again
Chorus—
Our men will ride, abin the moss
The strong and ancient borderline to cross
Invading force our men will spurn
As the moon is glintin’ off the burn
Chorus—
The borderline, the lands divide
And many brave and honest men have died
But this proud land was yours and mine
Lang before they ever drew the line
Chorus—
THE PROUDEST CALLANT
Words – Chris Ritson Music Alan G Brydon
———
Av hed a dream A ma life,
That A rode ahint the drum and fife,
Grasping the banner in ma hand,
The proudest callant in the land.
Chorus
So feel the passion,
Feel the pride,
Doon be bonnie teviot side.
Av dreamt the dream
And now a ride,
I am the proudest Callant
Ma right and left and fither tae,
Beside is up hill or brae,
Ma trusted horse brushed ti a shine,
His heart is poundin ' jist like mine.
Chorus
Thundering hoofs and hearty cheers,
Hev been on ma mind for mony years.
A bonnie lassie by ma side,
Whae'll buss oor colour wi care and pride.
Chorus
And now am standing here the day,
Ma life has changed in every way.
Entrusted wi the banner blue.
GENTLEMEN, DREAMS DEV COME TRUE!
Chorus
TERIBUS
By James Hogg
———
Scotia felt thin ire O' Odin,
On the Bloody Field of Flodden.
Where our Fathers fell with honour
Round the King and Country's Banner.
Chorus
Teribus ye Teri Odin,
Sons of Heroes Slain at Flodden,
Imitating Border Bowmen,
Aye Defend your Rights and Common.
After Flodden was decided,
Surrey had his troops divided.
Turned them loose to lawless plunder,
Heaven, just why slept thy thunder.
Chorus
Down they threw their bows and arrows,
Drew their swords like veteran heroes,
Charged their foes with native valour,
Routed them and took their colours.
Chorus
Magistrates! Be faithful trustees,
Equal poise the scales of justice,
See our common rightly guidit,
quirky lairds nae mair divide it.
Chorus
Peace be thy portion, Hawick forever,
Thine arts, thy commerce flourish ever,
Down to the latest age they send it:
"Hawick was ever independent!"
"Hawick was ever independent!"
"Hawick was ever independent!"
Down to the latest age they send it:
"Hawick was ever independent!!!!"
AULD HAWICK, MA BORDER HAME
by Ian W. Landles
———
Where heath clad hills stand guaird aroon’,
And crystal rivers tummle doon,
There stands an ancient burgh toon,
Auld Hawick ma Border hame.
It hez a history prood and grand,
A charter frae Drumlanrig’s hand,
The Queen o’ a’ the Borderland,
Auld Hawick, ma Border hame.
Chorus
So come and A wull show ti ee,
The spot that means the world ti me,
The place ma hert aye longs ti be,
Auld Hawick ma Border hame.
The grey auld toon be Teviotside,
Where a’ ma forebears yaised ti bide,
A’ll cherish aye its name wi pride:
Auld Hawick, ma Border hame.
The green auld Mote stands sentinel
The echo o’ St. Mary’s bell
Still rings oot owre hill and dell
In Hawick ma Border hame.
And on the street guid freends A see
Whae stop and pass the time wi’ me;
There’s naewhere A wad rither be
Than Hawick, ma Border hame.
A love ti walk be Teviotside
And sei its ripplin witters glide
Doon throwe the Park at eventide
In Hawick ma Border hame.
A love ti climm the Vertish braes
Where yince A sledged in callant days
And sei ablow iz in the haze
Auld Hawick, ma Border hame.
And when yon days o’ June draw nigh
The Banner Blue is raised on high,
Unfurled ti kiss the simmer sky
In Hawick ma Border hame.
The flag for which oor fithers died
At Hornshole be Teviotside,
The symbol o’ the dauntless pride
O’ Hawick, ma Border hame.
And then on Common Riding day
Wherever exiled Teries stay,
Their thochts wull often backward stray
Ti Hawick their Border hame.
Though mony years they’ve wandered forth,
They love the toon that gi’en thum birth:
The fairest spot on a’ the earth,
Auld Hawick, oor Border hame.