"Farewell, ye dungeons, dark and strang
A lang farewell tae thee"
MacPherson's time'll no be lang
On yonder gallows tree
"It was by a woman's treacherous hand
That I was condemned tae dee
Aye, she called me over to the windowsill
And a blanket she through o'er me"
Aye, sae rantingly and sae dauntingly
Sae wantingly gade he
He played a tune and he danced it aroon'
Below the gallows tree
Aye, that Laird of Grant, oh that heilan' Sant
Who first laid hands on me
He pleads the clause o' Peter Broon
"Let Macpherson dee"
"Untie the bands fae off my hands
And bring to me my sword"
'Cause there's no another man in all of Scotland
That'll brave him at a word
Aye, sae rantingly and sae dauntingly
Sae wantingly gade he
He played a tune and he danced it aroon'
Below the gallows tree
"Well, there's some come here now to see me hang
And some to buy my fiddle
But before that I do part with her
I'll brak her o'er the middle"
Aye, he's taken the fiddle into baith his hands
And he's brakin' it o'er a stane
Saying "There's no another's going to play on her
When I am dead and gane"
Aye, sae rantingly and sae dauntingly
Sae wantingly gaed he
He played a tune and he danced it aroon'
Below the gallows tree
"Well, little did my mother think
When first that she cradled me
That I would turn to the roving trade
And die on the gallows tree"
A reprieve was coming o'er the Brig o' Bamff
For to set MacPherson free
So, they put the clock there a quarter afore
And they hanged him from the tree
Aye, sae rantingly and sae dauntingly
Sae wantingly gade he
He played a tune and he danced it aroon'
Below the gallows tree
Aye, sae rantingly and sae dauntingly
Sae wantingly gade he
He played a tune and he danced it aroon'
Below the gallows tree
Aye, sae rantingly and sae dauntingly
Sae wantingly gade he
He played a tune and he danced it aroon'
Below the gallows tree