Oh my love did leave me with bairns twa
And that’s the last of him I ever saw
He joined the army and marched to war
He took the shilling
He took the shilling
And he’s off to war
Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King’s shilling and you’re off to war
Fine did he look as he marched along
With his kilt and sporran and his musket gun
And the ladies tipped him as he marched along
He sailed out by
He sailed out by
The Broomielaw
Oh the pipes did play as he marched along
And the soldiers sang out a battle song
“
March on, march on” cried the Captain gay
“
For King and country
For King and country
We will fight today”
The battle rattled to the sound of guns
And the bayonets flashed in the morning sun
And the drums did beat and the cannons roared
And the shilling didn’t seem
No the shilling didn’t seem
Much worth the war
The men did fight and the men did fall
Cut down by bayonets and musket ball
And many of these brave young men
Would never fight for
Would never fight for
The King again