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
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