Category: Lyrics

Chorus

All of the hard days are gone 

It’s all beer and whisky and songs from now on

We’ll laugh at the darkness and dance until dawn

All of the hard days are gone

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We’re all safe and warm here my friends 

The Bad times are over, They won’t come again

Raise up you voices and givre us a song

All of the hard days are gone.

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Well, life has been cloudy and gray

Take the bad memories and put them away

The sun has come out We’ve waited so long

All of the hard days are gone

.

So raise up your glasses and sing

All the hard days are gone  Sure they don’t mean a thing

If you want to be happy, We’ll take you along

All of the hard days are gone.

It happened at last Whitson tide
I tired o’ ma place;
So I gaed up tae Insch tae fee,
Ma fortune for tae chase.

Chorus (repeated after each verse):
And sing airy irrity addy
And sing airy irrity an

I met wi’ Adam Mitchell
And tae fee we did presume.
He’s a fairmer up Kinethmont way
At a place ca’d Sleepytoon.

“If ye and I agree,” said he,
“I’ll get the fairest play,
For I never bid ma servants work
mair nor twelve’oors a day.”

“If a’ be true ye tell tae me
I think the place might suit.”
Says I, “I’ll gang wi’ you
although ye are an ugly brute.”

Next order was tae bed at nine
And never leave the toon,
And ilka time we left it
We’d be fined half a croon.

But we took little heed o’ that
And oftimes took the pass,
Sometimes tae buy tobacco
And sometimes tae court a lass.

Well ma neighbour was fined many a croon
But never lost the hairt,
And I maself was fined a croon
For riding in the cairt.

And noo the time has come at last
And we hae ah gang free
And will gang doon tae Tilford toon
And hae ourselves a spree

Maybe we’ll see old Mitchell there,
Suppin’ at his brose.
I’ll gie him a len’ o’ ma hankie
For tae wipe his snotty nose.

Oh, this evening’s passed so quickly, 
And the music’s almost done; 
We’ve heard the piper and the fiddler, 
The singer and his song. 
The time has come for us to leave you; 
One last song before we go; 

Chorus.
So button up and aye be cheery 
Tak a dram afore ye go. 
Button up and aye be cheery, 
Tak a dram afore ye go.

For this night we will remember, 
And the music’s been just fine; 
But the cold, grey land of Caithness 
Can be cruel and unkind. 
We must bid fareweel and leave you; 
Travel through the ice and snow; 

So goodnight and God be with you . 
And watch over you until 
We can a’ meet here thegither, 
And our glasses we will refill. 
We’ll drink a health tae absent friends 
And make the beer and whisky flow, 

As I come in by Auchindoun,
Just a wee bit frae the toun,
To the Hi’lands I was bound
To view the Haughs of Cromdale.
I met a man in tartan trews,
Spiered at him (asked) what was the news,
Quo’ he, “The Hi’land army rues
That e’er we come to Cromdale.”

We were in bed, sir, every man,
When the English host upon us cam;
A bloody battle then began
Upon the Haughs of Cromdale.
The English horse they were so rude,
They bathed their hoofs in Hi’land blood,
But our brave clans, they boldly stood
Upon the Haughs of Cromdale.

“But, alas! We could no longer stay,
And o’er the hills we come away,
Sore we do lament the day
That e”er we come to Cromdale.
“Thus the great Montrose did say:
Hi’land man show me the way
I will over the hills this day,
To view the Haughs of Cromdale.

“They were at their dinner, every man,
When great Montrose upon them cam;
A second battle then began
Upon the Haughs of Cromdale.
The Grant, Mackenzie and M’Ky,
As Montrose they did espy,
Then they fought most valiantly
Upon the Haughs of Cromdale.

The Gordons boldly did advance,
The Frasers fought with sword and lance,
The Grahams they made the heads to dance,
Upon the Haughs of Cromdale.

The McDonalds they returned again,
The Camerons did our standard join,
McIntosh played a bloody game
Upon the Haughs of Cromdale.

And the loyal Stewarts, wi’ Montrose,
So boldly set upon their foes,
Laid them low wi’ Hi’land blows
Laid them low on Cromdale.
Of twenty-thousand Cromwell’s men,
A thousand fled to Aberdeen,
The rest of them lie on the plain,
There on the Haughs of Cromdale.

Of twenty-thousand Cromwell’s men,
A thousand fled to Aberdeen,
The rest of them lie on the plain,
There on the Haughs of Cromdale.

Chorus

Wha will ride wi’ gallant Murray , wha will ride for Geordie’s sel’
He’s the flooer o’ Glen Isla and the darlin’ o’ Dunkeld
See the white rose in his bonnet, see his banner o’er the Tay
His guid sword he noo has drawn it and has flung his sheath away

Every faithfu’ Murray follows, first of heroes, best of men
Every true and trusty Stewart blythely leaves his native glen
Athol lads are lads of honour, westland rogues are rebels a’
When we come within their border we maun gar the Campbell ‘s claw

Menzies he’s our friend and brother, Gask and Strowan are nae slack
Noble Perth has ta’en the field and a’ the Drummonds at his back
Let us ride wi’ gallant Murray , let us fight for Charlie’s crown
From the right we’ll never sinder til we bring the tyrants down

MacIntosh the gallant sodger, wi’ the Grahams and Gordons gay
They hae ta’en the field of honour, spite of all their c***fs could say
Bend the musket point the rapier, shift the brog for Lowland shoe
Scour the durk and face the danger, MacIntosh has all to do

Wha will ride wi’ gallant Murray , wha will ride for Geordie’s sel’
He’s the flooer o’ Glen Isla and the darlin’ o’ Dunkeld
See the white rose in his bonnet, see his banner o’er the Tay
His guid sword he noo has drawn it and has flung his sheath away

Chorus:
Fare thee well, ye Mormond Braes
Whaur oft times I’ve been cheery
Fare thee well, ye Mormond Braes
For it’s there I lost my dearie

As I went in by Strichen Toon
I heard a fair maid mourning
She was makin’ sair complaint
For her true love ne’er returnin’

There’s as good fish in tae the sea
As ever yet were taken
I’ll cast ma nets and try again
For I’m only once forsaken

There’s many a horse has sipped an’ fell
An’ risen again right early
There’s many a lass has lost her lad
And got another right rarely

So I’ll put on my gown of green
It’s a forsaken token
And that will let the young lads know
That the bonds of love are broken


I’ll gang back to Strichen toon
Where I was bred and born in
And I will get another young lass
Tae marry me in the morning

Come all ye jolly shepherd lads that whistle thro’ the glen
I’ll tell you all a secret that the courtiers dinnae ken
What is the greatest bliss that the tongue o’ man can name
Is tae woo a bonnie lassie when the kye come hame

Chorus
When the kye come hame, when the kye come hame
‘Tween the gloamin’ and the mirk, when the kye come hame

‘Tis no’ beneath the burgenet nor yet beneath the crown
It’s not on couch of velvet, nor yet on a bed of down
It’s beneath the spreading birch in the dell without a name
Wi’ a bonnie, bonnie lassie when the kye come hame


See yonder pawky shepherd lad that lingers on the hill
His sheep are in the fauld, and his lambs are lying still
But he daurnae gang tae bed for his heart is in a flame
Tae meet his bonnie bonnie lassie when the kye come hame


Awa’ wi’ fame and fortune what comfort can it gie
And a’ the airts that prey upon man’s life and liberty
Gie me the highest joy that the heart o’ man can frame
My bonnie, bonnie lassie when the kye come hame

Sails she swiftly from the harbour
Fal de re ho fa la lee
Like a lone gull before the storm winds
Fal la lee ho fa la lee
Kismaels’ galley goes a reiving
Sails she swiftly to Isla’s shore
To isles of daring and deeds and laughter
Fa la lee ho fa la lee

Through the moonlight she lays her coursing
Fal de re ho fa la lee
Far beneath her the grey blue limplets
Fal de re ho fa la lee
Spoils of glory is her venture
Deeds of glory in brightest dawn
On through Moorla to fair green Isla
Fal de re ho fa la lee

Turns she homeward through dancing sunlight
Fal de re ho fa la lee
From soft green southland to northern darnight
Fal de re ho fa la lee
Scars of battle are on her timbers
Grain and cattle for hungry homes
Hardy winter stole her boyhood
Fal de re ho fa la lee

Now the harpist weaves his story
Fal de re ho fa la lee
Laments to heroes of former glory
Fal de re ho fa la lee
Kismael’s galley is safely home now
Sleeps she gently like a swan
No dreams of war now her wings are folded
Fal de re ho fa la lee

I met a little yellow girl down in Callao

Hurra me yellow girls doona let me go

She said to me this yellow girl won’t you be my bow

Hurra me yellow girls doona let me go

Chorus

Doona let me go me girls doona let me go

Hurra me yellow girls doona let me go

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She swung her hips she gave a smile 

Hurra me yellow girls doona let me go

Grabbed me bu me Bobstay boys and would’t let me go

Hurra me yellow girls doona let me go

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I wish I was in Madam Gashee’s down in Callao

Hurra me yellow girls doona let me go

I’d throw me line about it boys and take the place in tow

Hurra me yellow girls doona let me go

.

I met a little yellow girl down in Callao

Hurra me yellow girls doona let me go

She said to me this yellow girl won’t you be my bow

Hurra me yellow girls doona let me go