Macpherson’s Rant
Aboot

Wirds
Fareweel, ye dungeons dark an strang, fareweel, fareweel tae ye,
MacPherson’s time will nae be lang on yonder gallas tree
Chorus
Sae rantinly, sae wantonly, sae dauntinly gaed he
He played a tune an he danced aroon, ablow the gallas tree
Maggie McPhee Chorus
An it’s aye mi rantin, o mi rantin, aye mi rantinly
An it’s aye mi rantin, o mi rantin, aye mi rantinly
It was by a wuman’s treacherous han that I wis condemned tae dee
She sat upon a windae ledge an a blunkit threw ower me
There’s some come here tae see me hing, aye and some tae buy my fiddle
But afore that I wid pairt wi her I’d brak her thro the middle
He’s taen the fiddle intae baith his hans an brak it ower a stane
Say’n, nay other hand shall play on ye fan I am deid an gane
Untie these bands fae aff o’ my hands and gie tae me my sword
There’s nae a man in a Scotland, but I’ll brave him at a word
It’s little did my mither think fan first she cradled me
That I would turn a rovin lad an hing on the gallas tree
The reprieve was comin ower the Brig o Banff tae set MacPherson free
But they pit the knock a quarter afore, and they hinged him fae the tree
Sae rantinly, sae wantonly, sae dauntingly gaed he
He played a tune an he danced aroon, and they hinged him fae the tree
Video
Ballad: Macpherson’s Rant (Greig~Duncan 3/697)
Singer: Ellie Beaton
Audio
Tune
