Farewell, Farewell to thee--
MacPherson's song will not be long
Upon the gallows tree
Untie these bands from off my hands
And give to me my bow
I've got to leave my brave Scotland
But a tune before I go--
Say rantingly and wantonly
And dauntingly played he
He played a tune and he danced around
Below the gallows tree
There's some come here for to see me hang
And some to steal my fiddle
But before that I do part with her
I'll break her through the middle
Well he's taken his fiddle into both of his hands
And he's broke it o'er his knee
Saying when I'm gone no other man
Will ever play on thee
Say rantingly and wantonly
And dauntingly played he
He played a tune and he danced around
Below the gallows tree
The reprieve was comin' o'er the brig of Banf
For to set MacPherson free
But they put the clock a quarter before
And then hanged him from the tree
The Story Behind the Song
A Scottish song dating from the reign of James I. Jamie MacPherson was real. There are several stories as to why he was hung: rebellion, horsetheft, and playing music (sometimes a political crime) being just a few. The broken fiddle is on display at the ancestral MacPherson clan hideout near Glasgow. The song is also known as MacPherson's Lament or MacPherson's Rant, usually because it's sung by a drunken Scot, acappella and at the top of his lungs.Top