"The Hundred Pipers" <br /><br />Malcolm McEachern <br /><br />These lyrics are in Scots. <br /><br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a', <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a', <br />We'll up an' gie them a blaw, a blaw <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a'. <br />O it's owre the border awa', awa' <br />It's owre the border awa', awa' <br />We'll on an' we'll march to Carlisle ha' <br />Wi' its yetts, its castle an' a', an a'. <br />Chorus: <br /><br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a', <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a', <br />We'll up an' gie them a blaw, a blaw <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a'. <br />O! our sodger lads looked braw, looked braw, <br />Wi' their tartan kilts an' a', an' a', <br />Wi' their bonnets an' feathers an' glitt'rin' gear, <br />An' pibrochs sounding loud and clear. <br />Will they a' return to their ain dear glen? <br />Will they a' return oor Heilan' men? <br />Second sichted Sandy looked fu' wae. <br />An' mithers grat when they march'd away. <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a', <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a', <br />We'll up an' gie them a blaw, a blaw <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a'. <br />O! wha' is foremos o' a', o' a', <br />Oh wha' is foremost o' a', o' a', <br />Bonnie Charlie the King o' us a', hurrah! <br />Wi' his hundred pipers an' a', an ' a'. <br />His bonnet and feathers he's waving high, <br />His prancing steed maist seems to fly, <br />The nor' win' plays wi' his curly hair, <br />While the pipers play wi'an unco flare. <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a', <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a', <br />We'll up an' gie them a blaw, a blaw <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a'. <br />The Esk was swollen sae red an' sae deep, <br />But shouther to shouther the brave lads keep; <br />Twa thousand swam owre to fell English ground <br />An' danced themselves dry to the pibroch's sound. <br />Dumfoun'er'd the English saw, they saw, <br />Dumfoun'er'd they heard the blaw, the blaw, <br />Dumfoun'er'd they a' ran awa', awa', <br />Frae the hundred pipers an' a', an' a'. <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a', <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a', <br />We'll up an' gie them a blaw, a blaw <br />Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a'. <br /><br />"The Hundred Pipers" is a Scottish song and jig attributed to Carolina Nairne. <br /><br />It takes as its themes events during and after the Jacobite Rising of 1745. <br /><br />The song commemorates the surrender of the town of Carlisle to Prince Charles Edward Stuart on November 18, 1745, when he invaded England at the head of a mixed army of Highlanders and Lowlanders, after his victory at Prestonpans. <br />izens with confidence in their grotesque conquerors", according to Burtons History of Scotland.[1] <br /><br />It tells of two thousand Highlanders swimming the River Esk when in flood on the occasion of the capture of Carlise. <br /><br />During a later period, Prince Charles made his disastrous retreat from Derby, and then Carlisle was retaken.
