Gallant Forty Twa

You may talk about your Lancers, or your Irish Fusiliers,
The Aberdeen Militia, or the Queen's Own Volunteers,
Or any other regiment that's lying far awa',
Come give to me the tartan of the Gallant Forty Twa.

And strolling through the green fields on a summer's day,
Watching all the country girls working at the hay,
I really was delighted and he stole my heart awa',
When I saw him in the tartan of the Gallant Forty Twa.

Oh, I never will forget the day his regiment marched past,
The pipes they played a lively tune but my heart was aghast;
He turned around and smiled farewell and then from far awa',
He waved to me the tartan of the Gallant Forty Twa.

Once again I heard the music of the pipers from afar,
They tramped and tramped, the weary men returning from the war;
And as they nearer drew, I brushed a woeful tear awa',
To see my bonnie laddie in the Gallant Forty Twa.

Hey, strolling through the green fields on a summer's day,
Watching all the country girls working at the hay,
I really was delighted and he stole my heart awa',
When I saw him in the tartan of the Gallant Forty Twa.

####.... Author unknown. Variant of a traditional Scots soldier's enlistment song, Jock McGraw. Also a variant of a Scottish broadside ballad, The Gallant Forty-Twa, published by the Poet's Box (Dundee) sometime between 1880 and 1900 and archived in The Word On The Street Broadsides at the National Library of Scotland, shelfmark: L.C.Fol.70(25a) ....####

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