The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
As I cam in by Dunideer
And doun by Nether Haw
Thare war fifty thoosan Hieland men
Aw marchin tae Harlaw
Wi a diddie aye-o and a fal and a doe
And a diddie aye-o aye-ey
As I gaed on and further on
And doun in by Balquhain
Oh, it's thare I saw Sir James the Rose
And wi him John the Graeme
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
"It's cam ye fae the Hielands, man
Cam ye aw the wey?
Saw ye Macdonald and his men
As thay cam in fae Skye?"
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
"It's I wis near and near eneuch
That I thair number saw
Thare war fifty thoosan Hieland men
Aw marchin tae Harlaw."
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
"Gin that be true," says James the Rose
"Thay'll no come muckle speed
We'll cry upon wir merry men
And turn wir horse's heid."
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
"Oh na, oh na," says John the Graeme
"This thing will niver be
For the gallant Graemes war niver beat
We'll try fit we can dae."
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Weel, as I gaed on and further on
And doun in by Harlaw
Thay fell fou close on ilka side
Sic straiks ye niver saw
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Thay fell fou close on ilka side
Sic straiks ye niver saw
And ilka sword gaed clash for clash
At the Battle o Harlaw
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
The Hieland men wi thair lang swords
Thay laid on us fou sair
And thay drave back wir merry men
Three acres breadth or mair
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
And Forbes tae his brither did say
"Oh, brither, can't ye see
Thay'v beaten us back on ilka side
And we'll be forced tae flee."
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
"Oh na, na, my brither bold
This thing will niver be
Ye'll tak yer guid sword in yer hand
Ye'll come in wi me."
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Weel, it's back tae back the brithers bold
Gaed in amangst the thrang
And thay drave back the Hieland men
Wi thair swords baith sharp and lang
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
And the firstan straik that Forbes struck
He gart Macdonald reel
And the neistan straik that Forbes struck
The brave Macdonald fell
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
And siccan a pitlarichie
O the likes ye niver saw
As wis amangst the Hieland men
When thay saw Macdonald faw
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Some rade, some ran and some did gang
Thay war o smaw record
But Forbes and his merry men
He slew thaim on the road
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
O fifty thoosan Hieland men
But fifty-three gaed hame
And oot o aw the Lawland men
Fifty marched wi Graeme
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Gin onybody spier at ye
O thaim that marched awa
Ye can tell thaim plain and very plain
Thay're sleepin at Harlaw
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Wi a diddie aye-o and a fal and a doe
And a diddie aye-o aye-ey
And doun by Nether Haw
Thare war fifty thoosan Hieland men
Aw marchin tae Harlaw
Wi a diddie aye-o and a fal and a doe
And a diddie aye-o aye-ey
As I gaed on and further on
And doun in by Balquhain
Oh, it's thare I saw Sir James the Rose
And wi him John the Graeme
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
"It's cam ye fae the Hielands, man
Cam ye aw the wey?
Saw ye Macdonald and his men
As thay cam in fae Skye?"
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
"It's I wis near and near eneuch
That I thair number saw
Thare war fifty thoosan Hieland men
Aw marchin tae Harlaw."
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
"Gin that be true," says James the Rose
"Thay'll no come muckle speed
We'll cry upon wir merry men
And turn wir horse's heid."
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
"Oh na, oh na," says John the Graeme
"This thing will niver be
For the gallant Graemes war niver beat
We'll try fit we can dae."
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Weel, as I gaed on and further on
And doun in by Harlaw
Thay fell fou close on ilka side
Sic straiks ye niver saw
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Thay fell fou close on ilka side
Sic straiks ye niver saw
And ilka sword gaed clash for clash
At the Battle o Harlaw
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
The Hieland men wi thair lang swords
Thay laid on us fou sair
And thay drave back wir merry men
Three acres breadth or mair
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
And Forbes tae his brither did say
"Oh, brither, can't ye see
Thay'v beaten us back on ilka side
And we'll be forced tae flee."
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
"Oh na, na, my brither bold
This thing will niver be
Ye'll tak yer guid sword in yer hand
Ye'll come in wi me."
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Weel, it's back tae back the brithers bold
Gaed in amangst the thrang
And thay drave back the Hieland men
Wi thair swords baith sharp and lang
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
And the firstan straik that Forbes struck
He gart Macdonald reel
And the neistan straik that Forbes struck
The brave Macdonald fell
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
And siccan a pitlarichie
O the likes ye niver saw
As wis amangst the Hieland men
When thay saw Macdonald faw
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Some rade, some ran and some did gang
Thay war o smaw record
But Forbes and his merry men
He slew thaim on the road
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
O fifty thoosan Hieland men
But fifty-three gaed hame
And oot o aw the Lawland men
Fifty marched wi Graeme
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Gin onybody spier at ye
O thaim that marched awa
Ye can tell thaim plain and very plain
Thay're sleepin at Harlaw
Wi a diddie aye-o ...
Wi a diddie aye-o and a fal and a doe
And a diddie aye-o aye-ey
Lyrics submitted by slam
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
As I came in by Dunnideer And down by Nether Haw There were fifty thousand Highland men Marching to Harlaw With a diddie aye-o and a fal and a doe And a diddie aye-o aye-ey
As I went on and further on And down by Balquhain Oh it's there I saw Sir James Ross And with him John Graeme With a diddie aye-o ...
"Did you come from the Highlands, man, Did you come all the way? Did you see Macdonald and his men As they came in from Skye?" With a diddie aye-o ...
"Oh I was near, and near enough, That I their number saw. There were fifty thousand Highland men All marching to Harlaw." With a diddie aye-o ...
"If that's true," says James Ross "They'll not be moving fast We'll call to our companions And turn our horse's head." With a diddie aye-o ...
"Oh no, oh no," says John Graeme "This thing will never be For the gallant Graemes were never beaten We'll try what we can do." With a diddie aye-o ...
Well, as I went on and further on And down by Harlaw They fell full close on every side Such blows you never saw. With a diddie aye-o ...
They fell full close on every side Such blows you never saw And every sword gave clash for clash At the battle of Harlaw With a diddie aye-o ...
The Highland men with their long swords They laid on us full sore And they drove back our companions The width of three acres or more With a diddie aye-o ...
And Forbes said to his brother "Oh, brother, can't you see They've beaten us back on every side And we'll be forced to flee." With a diddie aye-o ...
"Oh no, oh no, my brother bold This thing will never be You'll take your good sword in your hand And you'll come in with me." With a diddie aye-o ...
Well, it's back-to-back the brothers bold Went in amongst the throng And they drove back the Highland men With their swords both sharp and long. With a diddie aye-o ...
And the first blow that Forbes struck He made Macdonald reel And the next blow that Forbes struck The brave Macdonald fell With a diddie aye-o ...
And such a panic The like you never saw As there was among the Highland men When they saw Macdonald fall With a diddie aye-o ...
Some rode, some ran, and some fled They were of no account But Forbes and his companions They slew them on the road With a diddie aye-o ...
Of fifty thousand Highland men Only fifty-three went home And out of all the Lowland men Fifty marched with Graeme With a diddie aye-o ...
If anybody asks you Of those who marched away You can tell them plain and very plain They're sleeping at Harlaw With a diddie aye-o ...
Wi a diddie aye-o and a fal and a doe And a diddie aye-o aye-ey