The Deadly Wars


Jimmy Hutchison from Newburgh: CGOn Autumn Harvest ah010: Old Songs & Bothy Ballads: Hurrah Boys Hurrah! Live from the Fife Traditional Singing Festival May 2010.

A poor but honest soldier returns from the wars and, as he travels homeward, his thoughts are on his sweetheart Nancy and the winsome smile that caught his youthful fancy. Jimmy learned this from the singing of Jeannie Robertson whose version is a somewhat compressed version of a text that derives from Robert Burns song When Wild Wars Deadly Blast.

1: Oh when wild war's deidly blasts are blawn,
And gentle peace returnin,
Left many's a puir bairn faitherless,
And many a widow mournin.

2: Noo I left the lines o tented fields,
Whaur lang I'd been a lodger;
Wi ma humble knapsack an ma wealth,
I'm a puir but honest sodger.

3: Noo a leal licht hert was in ma breist,
Ma hands unstained wi plunder;
And for fair Scotia, hame again,
I cheery on did wander.

4: Noo I dreamed aboot the banks o Coil,
I dreamed aboot my Nancy;
And aye I mindit the winsome smile,
That took my youthful fancy.

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