ANCIENT TIMES
Fenella's Vengeance [an ancient story of King Kenneth's death by magic]
WARS OF INDEPENDENCE
Braehead Barns [a song of the time of William Wallace]
Here Comes William Wallace [celebratingthe hero]
Marching To Bannockburn [a child’s-eye view of the battle]
ScotsWha Hae [Robert Burns' song of 1314]
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
What Happened To Mary Queen Of Scots [a bloodthirsty account of her execution]
JACOBITES
The Drummer Boy[a young lad waits at Culloden]
The Prince's Hand [modern account of a lad following Bonny Prince Chairlie]
SOCIAL
The Luthermuir Penny Wedding [an account of a wedding in the old days]
Stirling Market Day [a long detailed account of an 18th Century Market Day]
The Strange New Vegetable [puzzlement about potatoes in 1727]
Wha Saw The 42nd? [new versions made by classes]
Ancient Times
FENELLA’S VENGEANCE
By Fettercairn School with Ewan McVicar
Tune Leatherwing Bat in 12/8 time
Over a thousand years ago, A king called Kenneth came riding by
Through the village of Fettercairn, To Fenella’s Castle
He had put her son to death, Now he wanted peace and rest
But Fenella had vengeance in her breast, At Fenella’s Castle
She greeted her king, and welcomed him in, And showed him a statue with apple in hand
But there were arrows hidden within, In Fenella’s Castle
He lifted the apple, the arrows flew, They pierced his body through and through
His body was red but his face was blue, In Fenella’s Castle
She jumped from the window, into a tree, From branch to branch, eagerly
She escaped, and she was free, Away from Fenella’s Castle
Wars Of Independence
BRAEHEAD BARNS
By Braehead Stirling p4 with Ewan McVicar
Tune: Barnyards Of Delgaty
I'm the farmer of this place,
Braehead Barns is its name.
Jocky Todd is what they call me,
Lizzie Large is my dame.
Lintenaddy toorenaddy,
Lintenaddy toorenay.
Linten lowrin lowrin lowrin,
Braehead Barns is full of hay.
English troops from Stirling Castle
Came into my farm one day,
Stole the chickens and the coo,
Took the horse and yowes away.
I went tae my farmer friends.
They brought axes, knives and scythes.
We went off to catch the soldiers,
Beat them up but spared their lives.
We were grateful tae oor friends.
Lizzie Large cooked some stew.
Had a ceilidh celebration,
Drank some honey heather brew.
[a song of the time of William Wallace]
HERE COMES WILLIAM WALLACE
By Laurencekirk P5 with Ewan McVicar
Tune Wheel of Fortune
Here comes William Wallace, with his huge claymore
Hunting for Edward Longshanks, he is going to settle the score
CHORUS Scotland’s leaders, Scotland’s heroes, warriors of the land
Time to fight for independence, time for us to make a stand
Giving people hope and courage, leading people in the war
Giving people strength and faith, showing what they’re fighting for
Wallace fought at Stirling Brig, hear the beating of the drum
Swords were waving, arrows flying, people died but Scotland won
Marching To Bannockburn
[A song written for the Tolbooth Project by class P6 of Borestone PS, Stirling with Ewan McVicar. Borestone is the closest school to the site of the Bannockburn Memorial. 'Tutti taitie' is said tosound thebeat used by The Bruce's drummers. The 'pots and pans' refer to the story that the young and old Scots campfollowers, watching from a hill, thought the battle was won and ran down brandishing their cooking implements. The English saw these glinting in the sun, thought a fresh Scots army was coming, and fled.]
Tune: Hey Tutti Taitie
CHORUS Hey tutti taitie, how tutti taitie,
Hey tutti taitie, we are free.
See the proud Scots march along.
Pipes and drums play their song.
Swords and spears, proud and strong
March to Bannockburn.
English Eddie's coming here,
He thinks the Scots are full of fear.
We'll give him a busted ear
Here at Bannockburn.
Rab the Bruce and daft De Bohun
Were fightin for the Scottish croon.
Rab hit Bohun and chopped him doon
Here at Bannockburn
First the archers took their aim,
Then the marching hedgehog came.
Eddie wished he'd stayed at hame,
Not at Bannockburn.
For a while the English won,
But pots and pans shone in the sun.
The feartie English had tae run
Away frae Bannockburn.
Small folk pelted doon the brae,
English Eddie ran away,
That's why Scotland's here today,
Because of Bannockburn.
Scots Wha Hae
Tune Hey Tutti Taitie
[This used to be considered Scotland’s National Anthem, now several songs are in contention for that honour. Robert Burns called this stirring song of his ‘Robert Bruce’s March to Bannockburn’, using the ancient tune ‘Hey Tutti Taitie’. He imagined what “one might suppose to be the gallant royal Scot’s address to his heroic followers on that eventful morning.” The new Curriculum For Excellence site about Scotland's Songs will have more informatiuon about the song.]
Scots, wha hae wi Wallace bled
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led
Welcome to your gory bed
Or to victorie!
Now's the day, and now's the hour
See the front o battle lour
See approach proud Edward's power -
Chains and slaverie!
Wha wad be a traitor knave?
Wha can fill a coward's grave?
Wha sae base as be a slave?
Let him turn and flee!
Wha for Scotland's King and Law
Freedom's sword wad strongly draw
Freeman stand or freeman fa',
Let him follow me!
By Oppression's woes and pains
By your sons in servile chains
We will drain our dearest veins
But they shall be free!
Lay the proud usurpers low!
Tyrants fall in every foe!
Liberty's in every blow!
Let us do, or dee!
Mary Queen Of Scots
WHAT HAPPENED TO MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS?
By Laurencekirk P6 [except the first verse] with Ewan McVicar
Tune Mulberry Bush
Mary Queen of Scots got her head chopped off
Head chopped off, head chopped off
Mary Queen of Scots got her head chopped off
Head chopped off
It took three tries to chop off her head
Her body was moving after she was dead
Her little dog was hiding under her dress
The dog ran over to see her head
The blood was dripping on the ground
That was the end of Mary Queen of Scots
Jacobites
The Drummer Boy
[Written by class P6 of BorestonePS with Ewan McVicar for the Tolbooth Project.The class were studying the Jacobites. St Ninian's ruined church is nearby. The Highland Army'sgunpowder was stored there, and blew up asprophesied many years earlier by Kenneth Odhar, the Brahan Seer.]
Tune: Skye Boat Song, but as fast 6/8 march
Here I stand at Drummossie Moor, my drumsticks in my hands.
All around me in their plaids the fearsome Highland clans.
Ratata, ratata, I'm ready to beat the charge,
But ratata, the order won't come to use the claymore and targe.
CHORUSBonnie Prince Charlie, born to be king,
Came over the sea from France.
Ah'll tell ye what happened at Stirling Brig, the townspeople chopped it down.
We had to leave our cannon and ball behind at Stirling Town.
A boom and a bash, abang and a crash, people went up in the air.
Our powder blew up in St Ninian's Church, clanspeople landed sair.
Kenneth the Seer looked forward in time, and he saw a battle here.
Heads were lopped off, quarter was none, families were left in tears.
Ratata, ratata, the order has come to charge.
But now we must run away from the guns,and leave the claymore and targe.
The Prince's Hand
[A song about a young follower of Bonny Prince Chairlie, words and tune written by Ewan McVicar. The tune derives from the McCrimmon pipe tune called I Got A Kiss Of The King's Hand. Ewansometimes uses the song in a story of a Glenfinnan lad who follows in the Prince’s train as a drummer boy.]
I got a kiss of the Prince’s hand, he ho ro
I caught his horse and made it stand, He ho ro
He asked my name and praised me and, he ho ro
I got a kiss of the Prince’s hand, he ho ro
From Finnan Glen by many a mile
By Preston Pans and great Carlise
To Derby Town in far England
Where I got a kiss of the Prince’s hand, he ho ro
In Glasgow we got lodgings fine
Feather beds and claret wine
But what care I for mansions grand
For I got a kiss of the Prince’s hand, he ho ro
On Falkirk Field I got these scars
From shortsword fighters called hussars
They thought me dead, but here I stand
For I got a kiss of the Prince’s hand, he ho ro
Drummossie Moor was our downfall
We felt the weight of cannon ball
At last we fell, or else we ran
But I got a kiss of the Prince’s hand, he ho ro
Our Prince was hunted like a dog
Across the heather, through the bog
The Red Backs swaggered on our land
But I got a kiss of the Prince’s hand, he ho ro
But friends were there on every side
MacDonald’s Flora helped him hide
She made a woman from a man
But I got a kiss of the Prince’s hand, he ho ro
Our noble chief stayed home in bed
And sent his sons with us instead
He sold his king to keep his land
But I got a kiss of the Prince’s hand, he ho ro
It ended back where it began
I did as well as any man
Our loss I cannot understand
But I got a kiss of the Prince’s hand, he ho ro
We carried him safe to the bay
And cheered his as he sailed away
We wrote our names upon the sand
But I got a kiss of the Prince’s hand, he ho ro
THE LUTHERMUIR PENNY WEDDING
By Laurencekirk P6 with Ewan McVicar
Tune Tinkers’ Wedding
One hundred guests came to share, five shillings each to help the pair
From hill and farm, and everywhere, they came to the Penny Wedding
The wedding was on Luther banks, they all came to eat and dance
The couple gave their grateful thanks, at the Penny Wedding
They danced Reels and Minuets, country dances in different sets
Then they rested and ate croquettes, at the Penny Wedding
The wedding was in all the papers, they danced Fandangoes and Highland Capers
Then soufflés were served by tired waiters, to end the Penny Wedding
STIRLING MARKET DAY
By Braehead Stirling P4 with Ewan McVicar
Tune Wee Gallus Bloke
Oh, it's market day in Stirling Town,
It's market day in Stirling Town.
Lots of people there, like a weekly fair,
It's market day in Stirling Town.
As I came doon Broad Street there were lots of people there,
Stalls busy selling things, a fiddler with a bear.
Farmers, brewers, cheapjacks, bakers, merchants, more,
Things from near and far away, the Tolbooth watching o'er.
Come and buy a little pig that's rollin in the mud,
What about a coo and calf, good at chewin cud?
A chicken good at layin eggs, a dog who'll run aa day,
Butter, milk, cheese and meat, oats and straw and hay.
Come and weigh your purchase here, so you are not done.
Jocky Todd he sold a poor man less than a full pund.
Jocky's in the Tolbooth Jail cause he was a cheat.
We make sure the farmers here don't underweigh their wheat.
New baked bread that smells so nice, shortbread rich and sweet,
Spicy buns and biscuits, every one a treat.
Every one so yummy you could eat them all.
Cakes of every size there is, huge and big and small.
Shawls and hats and mutches, belly coats and shoes,
Pants and socks and petticoats, fancy belts and trews.
Tartan plaidies long and strong, too tough for any moth,
Come and see today's fine range of fancy cloth.
Here we have our pottery, plates and pots and pans.
Sharp knives and smooth spoons, buy them while you can!
We've come all the way from France to bring our goods for you.
We are pleased to meet you all - comment allez vous?
Come and see the monkey dance the Highland Fling.
Come and hear a fiddler who can play as well as sing.
See the acrobats stand on each other's backs.
Pay them with a bawbee, a boddle or a plack.
Come down to the drink stall, buy yourself some ale,
Mind you don't get too drunk or you'll view the Tolbooth Jail.
Swig it from a tankard, the best of any brew,
Heather ale and porter, wine and whisky too.
Would you like a ribbon, would you like some beads?
Any kind of geegaw, anything you need.
This stone is a diamond, honest, miss, it's true!
See the honest face I have, how could I cheat you?
[Each ‘table’ in the class made two or more verses. Their Information came from an illustration in the book Discover Old Stirling.]
THE STRANGE NEW VEGETABLE
By P4-7, Marykirk Primary with Ewan McVicar
Tune The Wee Cooper O Fife verse
There was an old soldier, he came to the Mearns
With something special in his sack
In Marykirk village he found a wee house
With a nice big garden out the back
In Seventeen Hundred and Twenty Seven
The people all wondered what he was sowing
Egg-shaped, brown, with little spikes
Flowers or beans? What was he growing?
Up came the stems, the leaves and the flowers
Then all the plants began to die
Then he dug out a wonderful crop
Of bright yellow shapes you could boil or fry
The people they looked for the seed from the flowers
But no-one found out how they grew
The soldier went to live far away
And took his secret, so nobody knew
[The secret was of course potatoes. It was 100 years later before potatoes were cultivated in the Mearns.]
Wha Saw The 42nd?
New versions made by Classes with Ewan McVicar
WHA SAW THEM NEAR LUTHERMUIR?
New verses by By P6/7 Luthermuir School with Ewan McVicar
Wha saw the Forty Second, wha saw them looking trig?
Wha saw the Forty Second marchin o’er North Water Brig?
Some o them had stickit kilts, some o them had nane at aa
Some o them had linen shirts for tae keep the midgies awa
Some o them had bags o oatmeal, some o them had nane at aa
Some o them had drams o whisky for tae keep the cauld awa
Some o them had swords and targes, some o them had nane at aa
Some o them had flintlock muskets for tae keep the thieves awa
WHA SAW THEM IN DUNDEE?
New versesby Fettercairn PS with Ewan McVicar
Wha saw the Forty Second, wha saw them gaun awa?
Wha saw the Forty Second, marchin doon Dundee Law?
Some o them had boots an stockins, some o them had nane at aa
Some o them had sniper rifles for tae scare the enemy awa
Some o them had metal helmets, some o them had nane at aa
Some o them had camouflage bunnets for tae keep the rain awa