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Noble Huntly

[ Roud 5797 ; G/D 1:74 ; Ballad Index GrD1074 ; trad.]

Shona Donaldson sang Noble Huntly in 2010 on her Deveron Projects album Short Nichts and Lang Kisses. She noted:

Another of Isaac Troup’s contributions to the Greig-Duncan. The ‘Noble Huntly’ in question was Lieutenant-Colonel George Gordon, Marquis of Huntly. This stirring song seemed to fit with the tune Tullochgorm.

Lyrics

Shona Donaldson sings Noble Huntly

Come a’ ye youngster’s north aboot,
Maist Noble Huntly ca’s ye oot
Untae his standard niwer doot
The noble youth’s afore ye.
For Bonaparte he will be here
He’ll leave us neither horse nor mare
He will tak a’ oor either gaen gear
And ca’ it a’ afore him.
For Bonaparte he will be here
Bonaparte, Bonaparte
Bonaparte he will be here
The muckle sorra smore him.

But if we true and faithful stand
Wi hairt tae hairt and hand tae hand
And lat the scoundrel try tae land
We will be there afore him
We winna flinch, we winna flee
Until oor vengeance blotted be
And parties only live tae see
The gully made tae gore him.
We winna flinch, we winna flee
We winna flinch, we winna flinch,
We winna flinch, we winna flee
For fifty hunner score o them.

So Noble Huntly great in fame
Will turn his glory tae his shame
Auld claymores we will draw again
They niwer fade in glory.
What needs we o’ our fleets tae boast
Should he invade oor British coast
We’ll show him sodjers tae his cost
We’re born lang afore him.
Noble Huntly, great in fame,
Noble Huntly, noble Huntly,
Noble Huntly, great in fame
And great in war-like story.