McPherson’s Lament

Trad

Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong
Farewell, farewell to thee
McPherson’s life will no be long
On yonder gallows tree

Sa rantingly, sa wantingly
And sa dauntingly gaed he
He played a tune and he danced around
Below the gallows tree

There’s some come here for to see me hung
And some to buy my fiddle
But before that I do part with her
I’ll break her through the middle

He took his fiddle in both of his hands
And he broke it o’er a stone
Saying: “There’s no other hand shall play on thee
When I am dead and gone”

Sa rantingly, sa wantingly
And sa dauntingly gaed he
He played a tune and he danced around
Below the gallows tree

The reprieve was coming o’er the Brig of Banff
To set McPherson free
But they put the clock a quarter before
And they hanged him from a tree

Sa rantingly, sa wantingly
And sa dauntingly gaed he
He played a tune and he danced around
Below the gallows tree

McPherson is some hero. A man who can get an exultant sense of victory and defiance in the face of defeat, and even death, is indeed a man to be admired.