By yon’ bonnie banks an by yon’ bonnie braes,
Where the sun shone bright, there’s now a misty haze;
With her beautiful mountains, rivers and glens,
Bit whit of her future? Ah! naebody kens!
By yon bonnie banks and the skirl o’ the pipes,
Everyone’s moanin’ an’ full o’ their the gripes;
Freedom fae England! Aye Westminster an aw,
Pride ayeways goes, afore a great big faw.
By yon bonnie banks, aye, the ones wae nae money,
Fur they’ve all gone south, in a great big hurry;
There’s oil an’ there’s whisky, by the tons an’ galore,
We’ll aw be well-oiled, if nothing more.
By yon bonnie banks, no a pound tae wur name!
There’s only wan person that’s really tae blame;
As they stand oan the terraces an’ shout their boos,
Wi pockets full o’ brand new smackeroos!
By yon bonnie banks, where the passions run high,
Vote Scotland forever! It’s aye or die!
Th’ wind o’ the pipes is filling ab’dy wae gas,
Nae matter soon we’ll aw be eat’n grass.
By yon bonnie banks, an’ the heilan’ dew,
In the land o’ girders an’ Iron Bru;
If the union’s broke and we begin to sink,
We’ll aw be turnin’ back tae the demon drink.
By yon bonnie banks, an th’ braes o’ Doon,
Where once we wur bankrupt an’ ready tae droon;
We joined wi’ oor neighbours back in 1707,
An’ ever since it’s been like livin’ in heaven.
By yon bonnie banks, it’s time tae vote,
Peace an’ prosperity’s only, where nations unite;
Tae go it alone and gi’e Salmond a yes,
Where we’ll aw end up’s anywans guess.
(This was written at the time of the Scottish referendum that threatened to break up the Union of 1707)
(© James R Hamilton, written 13th, September, 2014)
