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Ewan MacColl — The Wee German Lairdee
Artist: → Ewan MacColl
Ewan MacColl — The Wee German Lairdee — lyrics
Wha’ the deil hae we gotten for a king
But a wee, wee German lairdee
And when we gaed to bring him hame
He was delving in his yardie
Shenghing kail and laying leeks
But the hose and but the breeks
And up his beggar duds he cleeks
This wee, wee German lairdee
And he’s clapt doun in our guidman’s chair
The wee, wee German lairdie;
And he’s brought fourth o’ foreign trash
And dibbled them in his yardie
He’s pu’d the rose o’ English loons
And broken the harp o’ Irish clowns;
But our thistle taps will jag his thumbs —
This wee, wee German lairdie
Come up amang our Highland hills
Thou wee, wee German lairdie
And see how the Stuarts! langekail thrivе
They dibbled in our yardie:
And if a stock yе dare to pu’
Or haud the yoking o’ a plough
We’ll break your sceptre ower your mou!
Thou wee bit German lairdie
Our hills are steep, our glens are deep
Nae fitting for a yardie;
And our Norland thistles winna pu’
Thou wee bit German lairdie:
And we’ve the trenching blades o’ weir
Wad prune ye o’ your German gear —
We’ll pass ye ‘neath the claymore’s shear
Thou feckless German lairdie!
Auld Scotland, thou’rt ower cauld a hole
For nursin’ siccan vermin;
But the very dogs o’ England’s court
They bark and howl in German
Then keep thy dibble in thy ain hand
Thy spade but and thy yardie;
For wha the deil now claims your land
But a wee, wee German lairdie?
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