Oh my love has left me with bare knees twa
And that's the last of him I ever saw
He's joined the army and he's marched awa'
He's taen the shilling
He's taen the shilling and he's marched awa'
Come laddies, come
Hear the canons roar
Tak' the King's shilling
And we're aff tae war
He looked sae proud and sae gallant there
Wi' his kilt and sporran and his musket gun
And the ladies kissed them as they marched awa'
They sailed awa' boys
They sailed awa' boys, by the Broomielaw
Come laddies, come
Hear the canons roar
Tak' the King's shilling
And we're aff tae war
The pipes, they're played as they marched along
And the men, they sang out a battle song
"March on, march on!" Cried our Captain gay
For King and country
For King and country we will fight this day
Come laddies, come
Hear the canons roar
Tak' the King's shilling
And we're aff tae war
The battled echoes to the sound of guns
And bayonets flashed in the morning sun
The drums did beat and the canons roared
And the shilling did not seem
No, the shilling did not seem much worth no more
Come laddies, come
Hear the canons roar
Tak' the King's shilling
And we're aff tae war
♪
Some lost the battle, their bodies fell
Cut down by bayonet and musket ball
And many of those brave young men
Would never fight for
No, they'd never fight for their King again
Come laddies, come
Hear the canons roar
Tak' the King's shilling
And we're aff tae war
Come laddies, come
Hear the canons roar
Tak' the King's shilling
And we're aff tae war
Come laddies, come
Hear the canons roar
Tak' the King's shilling
And we're aff tae war