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"Scotland the Brave" (Scottish Gaelic: Alba an Aigh) is a patriotic song and one of the main contenders to be considered as a national anthem of Scotland. In June 2006, the song came second to Flower of Scotland in an online poll with more than 10,000 votes to determine the nation's favourite unofficial "anthem". The song is used to represent Scotland in the Commonwealth Games.

Scotland the Brave is also the authorised pipe band march of The British Columbia Dragoons of the Canadian Forces and is played during the Pass in Review at Friday parades at The Citadel. In 2006, it was adopted as the regimental quick march of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. "Scotland the Brave" has now become a stage show which is touring the world in 2007 visiting Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The show features a selection of Scottish music, song and dance with over 100 performers on stage.

The Latter Day Saint hymn "Praise to the Man" by W. W. Phelps is also sung to "Scotland the Brave."

Servite High School in Anaheim, California uses this song for when the football team parades out onto the football field, with a bagpipe player leading them.




Scotland the Brave Lyrics

The tune seems to have first appeared around the turn of the 20th century, and was already sometimes known as "Scotland the Brave". However the lyrics were written around 1950 by the Scottish journalist Cliff Hanley for the singer Robert Wilson.

"Scotland the Brave" by Cliff Hanley

Hark when the night is falling
Hear! hear the pipes are calling,
Loudly and proudly calling,
Down through the glen.
There where the hills are sleeping,
Now feel the blood a-leaping,
High as the spirits
of the old Highland men.

Chorus
Towering in gallant fame,
Scotland my mountain hame,
High may your proud standards, Gloriously wave,
Land of my high endeavour,
Land of the shining rivers,
Land of my heart for ever,
Scotland the brave.

High in the misty Highlands,
Out by the purple islands,
Brave are the hearts that beat
Beneath Scottish skies.
Wild are the winds to meet you,
Staunch are the friends that greet you,
Kind as the love that shines
from fair maidens' eyes.

Chorus

Far off in sunlit places,
Sad are the Scottish faces,
Yearning to feel the kiss
Of sweet Scottish rain.
Where tropic skies are beaming,
Love sets the heart a-dreaming,
Longing and dreaming for the homeland again.

Chorus


There is also an alternate set of lyrics by John McDermott 'Scotland Forever,' sung to the same tune:

Let Italy boast of her gay gilded waters,
Her vines and her bowers and her soft sunny skies,
Her sons drinking love from the eyes of her daughters,
Where freedom expires amid softness and sighs.

Scotland's blue mountains wild where hoary cliffs are piled,
Towering in grandeur are dearer tae me,
Land of the misty cloud land of the tempest loud,
Land of the brave and proud land of the free.

Enthroned on the peak of her own highland mountains,
The spirit of Scotia reigns fearless and free,
Her green tartan waving o'er blue rock and fountain,
And proudly she sings looking over the sea.

Here among my mountains wild I have serenely smiled,
When armies and empires against me were hurled,
Firm as my native rock I have withstood the shock,
Of England, of Denmark, or Rome and the world.

But see how proudly her war steeds are prancing,
Deep groves of steel trodden down in their path,
The eyes of my sons like their bright swords are glancing,
Triumphantly riding through ruin and death.

Bold hearts and nodding plumes wave o'er their bloody tombs,
Deepeyed in gore is the green tartan's wave,
Shivering are the ranks of steel dire is the horseman's wheel,
Victorious in battlefield Scotland the brave.

Bold hearts and nodding plumes wave o'er their bloody tombs,
Deepeyed in gore is the green tartan's wave,
Shivering are the ranks of steel dire is the horseman's wheel,
Victorious in battlefield Scotland the brave,
Victorious in battlefield Scotland the brave.


There is also another set of lyrics known as 'My Bonnie Lassie':

Drums in my heart are drummin,
I hear the bagpipes hummin,
My Bonnie Lassie's comin over the sea.
My heart with her she's bringin,
I hear the blue bells ringin,
Soon we'll be highland flingin,
My love and me.

Chorus:
I'll meet her at the shore,
Playin the pipes for her,
Dressed in a kilt and a tam o'shanter too.
Drums in my heart are drummin,
I hear the bagpipes hummin,
My Bonnie Lassie's comin, comin to me,

Somewhere a ship and crew,
Sails o'er the ocean blue,
Bringing, oh, bringing,
My bonnie back to me.
That's why the drums are drummin,
That's why the pipes are hummin,
My Bonnie Lassie's comin, comin to me.

Chorus

Sad are the lads she's leavin,
Many a sigh they're heavin,
Even the heather's grievin, cryin with dew.
She's left her native highland,
To come and live in my land,
She'll love the folks who smile,
And say, "how-we-do".

Chorus