The Hundred Pipers, a Scottish folk song commemorating the Jacobite uprising in 1745

Folk Songs

The Hundred Pipers
Scottish folk song commemorating the Jacobite uprising in 1745
The Hundred Pipers is a traditional Scottish folk song commemorating the surrender of Carlisle to Prince Charles Edward Stuart during the Jacobite uprising in 1745. The Jacobite movement was an attempt to restore Britain’s throne to the Catholic House of Stuart that took place between 1688 and the 1780s.

The song is written in Scottish English and tells of the militant bravery of the Scottish Jacobite soldiers in their effort to restore Prince Charles to the throne. Dressed in their bonnets and kilts, they march over the Scottish highlands to Carlisle's yetts (Scots for "gates"). The fearless soldiers swim through the freezing waters of the Esk River to reach English soil, and celebrate their feat by dancing victoriously to the sound of pibrochs (a type of Scottish bagpipe music).

Attributed to Baroness Carolina Nairne and popularized from 1845 onwards, the song is interpreted here by Scottish singer Kenneth McKellar. Note: the third verse is omitted in the recording, but we have included it here for our readers to enjoy.

Listen to The Hundred Pipers

Lyrics:
1. Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a',
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a',
We'll up an' gie them a blaw, a blaw,
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a'.
O it's owre the border awa', awa',
It's owre the border awa', awa',
We'll on an' we'll march to Carlisle ha',
Wi' its yetts, its castle an' a', an a'.
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a',
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a',
We'll up an' gie them a blaw, a blaw,
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a'.

2. O! our sodger lads looked braw, looked braw,
Wi' their tartan kilts an' a', an' a',
Wi' their bonnets an' feathers an' glitt'rin' gear,
An' pibrochs sounding loud and clear.
Will they a' return to their ain dear glen?
Will they a' return oor Heilan' men?
Second sichted Sandy looked fu' wae,
An' mithers grat when they march'd away.
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a',
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a',
We'll up an' gie them a blaw, a blaw,
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a'.

3. O! wha' is foremos o' a', o' a',
Oh wha' is foremost o' a', o' a',
Bonnie Charlie the King o' us a', hurrah!
Wi' his hundred pipers an' a', an ' a'.
His bonnet and feathers he's waving high,
His prancing steed maist seems to fly,
The nor' win' plays wi' his curly hair,
While the pipers play wi'an unco flare.
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a',
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a',
We'll up an' gie them a blaw, a blaw
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a'.

4. The Esk was swollen sae red an' sae deep,
But shouther to shouther the brave lads keep;
Twa thousand swam owre to fell English ground,
An' danced themselves dry to the pibroch's sound.
Dumfoun'er'd the English saw, they saw,
Dumfoun'er'd they heard the blaw, the blaw,
Dumfoun'er'd they a' ran awa', awa',
Frae the hundred pipers an' a', an' a'.
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a',
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a',
We'll up an' gie them a blaw, a blaw,
Wi' a hundred pipers, an' a', an' a'.

English translation:
1. With a hundred pipers, and all, and all,
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all,
We'll rise and give them a blow, a blow,
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all.
Oh it's over the border away, away,
It's over the border away, away,
We'll go on and we'll march to Carlisle Hall,
With its gates, its castle and all, and all.
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all,
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all,
We'll rise and give them a blow, a blow,
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all.

2. Oh! our soldier lads looked stout, looked stout,
With their tartan kilts and all, and all,
With their bonnets and feathers and glittering gear,
And bagpipes sounding loud and clear.
Will they all return to their own dear glen?
Will they all return our Highland men?
Second sighted Sandy looked full of woe,
And mothers cried when they marched away.
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all,
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all,
We'll rise and give them a blow, a blow,
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all.

3. Oh! what is foremost of all, of all,
Oh! what is foremost of all, of all,
Bonnie Charlie the King of us all, hurrah!
With his hundred pipers, and all, and all,
His bonnet and feathers he's waving high,
His prancing steed almost seems to fly,
The north wind plays with his curly hair,
While the pipers play with a strange flare.
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all,
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all,
We'll rise and give them a blow, a blow,
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all.

4. The Esk was swollen so red and so deep,
But shoulder to shoulder the brave lads keep;
Two thousand swam over to fell English ground,
And danced themselves dry to the bagpipe's sound.
Dumfounded the English saw, they saw,
Dumfounded they heard the blow, the blow,
Dumfounded they all ran away, away,
From the hundred pipers and all, and all.
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all,
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all,
We'll rise and give them a blow, a blow,
With a hundred pipers, and all, and all.