There will be dark
and lonely hills,
for a war beneath the sky.
Macpherson's time will not be lying
on yonder gallows high.
Say, Rantonleigh, say, Wantonleigh,
say, Rantonleigh,
he's played
a tune,
and he's danced it to rune,
in a blow the gallows
drew.
It was by a woman's treacherous horn,
I am condemned,
here.
A blow a ledge at my
windy she stood,
a blanket she threw over me.
Say,
Rantonleigh,
say,
Wantonleigh,
say,
Rantonleigh,
he's played a tune,
and he's danced it to rune,
in a blow the gallows drew.
There's some come here,
they see me hang,
some day by my fiddle.
But for the time,
would pair to a hurl,
I'd brack her through the middle.
Say,
Rantonleigh,
say,
Wantonleigh,
say,
Rantonleigh,
he's played
a tune,
and he's danced it to rune,
in a blow the gallows drew.
He took the fiddle, and to bathe for his horns,
but I kept a war a-stayin'.
Say, in the other hand,
shall play on thee,
and I am deed and gain.
Say,
Rantonleigh,
say,
Wantonleigh,
say,
Rantonleigh,
he's played
a tune,
and he's danced it to rune,
in a blow the gallows drew.
There's reprieves comin',
o'er the brig of Banff,
they set Macpherson free.
But they put the knock a-quarter for him,
they hanged him to the tree.
Say, Rantonleigh, say, Wantonleigh,
say, Rantonleigh, he's played
a tune,
and he's danced it to rune, in a blow
the gallows drew.
O,
little did
my mother think,
when first she cradled me,
that I would turn a rovin'
boy,
die on the
gallows tree.
Say, Rantonleigh, say, Wantonleigh,
say, Rantonleigh,
he's played
a tune,
and he's danced it to rune,
in a blow the gallows drew.