Digital Tradition Mirror

Killiecrankie

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Killiecrankie

Whaur hae ye been sae braw, lad?
Whaur hae ye been sae brankie-o?
Whaur hae ye been sae braw, lad?
Cam' ye by Killiecrankie-o?

  An' ye had been whaur I hae been
  Ye wadna been sae cantie-o
  An' ye had seen what I hae seen
  On the braes o' Killiecrankie-o

I fought at land, I fought at sea
At hame I fought my auntie-o
But I met the Devil and Dundee
On the braes o' Killiecrankie-o

The bauld pitcur fell in a furr
And Clavers gat a crankie-o
Or I had fed an Athol gled
On the braes o' Killiecrankie-o

Oh fie, MacKay, What gart ye lie
I' the brush ayont the brankie-o?
Ye'd better kiss'd King Willie's loff
Than come tae Killiecrankie-o

  It's nae shame, it's nae shame
  It's nae shame to shank ye-o
  There's sour slaes on Athol braes
  And the de'ils at Killiecrankie-o

Refers to battle in  1689, where winner, Graham of Claverhouse
(Bonnie Dundee) was slain, ending Jacobite hopes.
Printed in Buchan and Hall's The Scottish Folksinger
Recorded by Ewan MacColl
SOF

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!