Scots wha hae (Robert Burns poem)

An imaginary address by Robert the Bruce to his troops at the battle of Banockburn

My main man Dick Gaughan singing Thomas Muir of Huntershill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4zuVY1Npb0

The Battle of Bannockburn
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bannockburn


Recitation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lO5gG7ZzQ8

Song with Braveheart footage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD2GeJeEpZc
Robert Bruce's March To Bannockburn

Thomas Muir of Huntershill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Muir_of_Huntershill

Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,
Welcome tae your gory bed,
Or tae Victorie!

Now's the day, and now's the hour:
See the front o' battle lour,
See approach proud Edward's power —
Chains and Slaverie!

Wha will be a traitor knave?
Wha will fill a coward's grave?
Wha sae base as be a slave?
Let him turn and flee!

Wha, for Scotland's king and law,
Freedom's sword will strongly draw,
Freeman stand, or Freeman fa',
Let him on wi' me!

By Oppression's woes and pains!
By your sons in servile chains!
We will drain our dearest veins,
But they shall be free!

Lay the proud usurpers low!
Tyrants fall in every foe!
Liberty's in every blow! —
Let us do or dee!

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Thomas Muir
• William Wallace
• Scotland
• Robert Bruce
• Dick Gaughan
• Scottish

[cinderellalifestyle]

I cannot fathom hand to hand battle, what bravery, must be conjured, dredged, begged, pried, pleaded, prayed forth . This , quite the rallying speech!! .....the speech alone might have won the battle......:-) I loved this , missed it a couple days past.....

[weegingayin]

@cinderellalifestyle If only all battles could be resolved by fine speeches- Words however have more power to start wars than to stop them.

[krabbers]

excellent delivery , we need more intros like this

[weegingayin]

@krabbers Thanks Special K. There is always more to a song than you can imagine. A little bit of history tends to set things in order. I have put a link to some facts about Thomas Muir in the description... quite a fellow. Sometimes I cringe when I think of this poem in a modern setting, but if you place it within the radical movement and the French revolution, and parliamentary reform it takes on a different colour.

[KenMiddletonUkulele]

It is strong stuff, Robert.

[weegingayin]

@KenMiddletonUkulele In the description I have put a link to a lad of about 10 doing a recitation. Quite passionate he is, and the thought that passes through my mind is what is the purpose of a poem like this. Is it to instill national pride and patriotism and give a sense of history, for I fear that sometimes it just becomes an expression of bigotry.

[Rutle]

Beautiful poem powerful words.

[weegingayin]

@quincydubois Go on Go on Go on Quincy... give us some W.B. You know you want to.

[quincydubois]

Bravo ...

[weegingayin]

@songblurred It is the modern day curse of central heating. As you can see there is a basket of wood, so we do fire it up when drinking, poetry, and conversation demand it. Telling stories around a blazing campfire is a primeval thing. It is what we did before TV and Youtube.

Personally I think battlefields should have referees who would blow the whistle for instance when the Germans use mustard gas, and send them off to the cooling off box for a couple of decades.