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