Freedom Come-All-Ye - Lyrics

Lyrics

Roch the wind in the clear day's dawin

Blaws the cloods heilster-gowdie owre the bay

But there's mair nor a roch wind blawin

Thro the Great Glen o the warld the day

It's a thocht that wad gar oor rottans

Aa thae rogues that gang gallus fresh an gay

Tak the road an seek ither loanins

Wi thair ill-ploys tae sport an play

Nae mair will our bonnie callants

Merch tae war when oor braggarts crousely craw

Nor wee weans frae pitheid an clachan

Mourn the ships sailin doun the Broomielaw

Broken faimlies in lands we've hairriet

Will curse 'Scotlan the Brave' nae mair, nae mair

Black an white ane-til-ither mairriet

Mak the vile barracks o thair maisters bare

Sae come aa ye at hame wi freedom

Never heed whit the houdies croak for Doom

In yer hoose aa the bairns o Adam

Will find breid, barley-bree an paintit room

When Maclean meets wi's friens in Springburn

Aa thae roses an geans will turn tae blume

An yon black boy frae yont Nyanga

Dings the fell gallows o the burghers doun.

Rendered literally to English, this would be:

Rough the wind in the clear day's dawning

Blows the clouds head over heels over the bay

But there's more than a rough wind blowing

Through the Great Glen of the world today

It's a thought that would make our rats

All those rogues that go boldly fresh and gay

Take the road to seek other pastures

With their ill-ploys to sport and play

No more will our handsome youths

March to war when our braggarts arrogantly crow

Nor small children from pithead and village

Mourn the ships sailing down the Broomielaw

Broken families in lands we've harried

Will curse Scotland the Brave no more, no more

Black and white to each other married

Make the vile barracks of their masters bare

So come all you at home with freedom

Never heed what the hooded crows croak for Doom

In your house all the children of Adam

Will find bread, whisky and painted room

When Maclean meets with his friends in Springburn

All those roses and wild cherries will turn to bloom

And the black boy over there from far Nyanga

Knocks the cruel gallows of the burghers down.