Brian McNeill - Auld Man By The Fire lyrics

Auld man by the fire, lookin' hard intae the flames Sing low, sing high, singin' banners in the sky And a' the hordes o' Tartary behind ye Sees neither kings nor princes, just a list o' bloody names Sing low, sing high, singin' keep yer powder dry And the howling' o' the wind tae remind ye Hard men frae foreign lands wi' heathen blood upon their hands Followin' the sons o' cavaliers Every trooper laddie rides wi' God upon his side And the word o' the Devil in his ear Ye were brave, ye were loyal, ye were hard and ye were true Sing far, sing near, singin' is yer memory clear And can ye hear the whispers o' a nation? For the order ye never gave's the only one ye rue Sing far, sing near, singin' history will hear When the Devil ca's your bloody reputation Levellers and ranters, regicides and covenanters Highland kerns wha march for chief and clan Parliaments and wagers, Lord Protectors and engagers And a' man's inhumanity tae man Nae qualm and nae quarter, nae mercy tae be seen Sing near, sing far, singin' a' the arts o' war Nae conscience tae carry but yer ain yin For Turk and for Tartar, or the lads at Rullion Green Sing near, sing far, for Stuart or for Czar A Cossack set tae catch a Cameronian Sinners and deceivers, broken men and unbelievers Carryin' the banners o' the Lord Men o' honour and conviction and other sad afflictions Harryin' wi' fire and wi' sword Auld man at the ferry, lookin' tae the other side Sing high, sing low, singin' through the Russian snow Would ye raither hae a hot hell or a cauld yin? For there's a fine pair o' horns waitin' on the other side Sing high, sing low, singin' watch the horsemen go Mind ye settle a' yer scores wi' the Auld Yin