From: jack@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Jack Campin)
Newsgroups: rec.music.folk,soc.culture.celtic
Subject: Hamish Henderson's "John MacLean March"
Date: 5 Nov 92 19:17:21 GMT
Reply-To: jack@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Jack Campin)
Organization: COMANDOS Project, Glesga Yoonie

Here as promised is the words to Hamish Henderson's "John MacLean March".
The tune is a variant of that used for "Scotland the Brave" (what was it
called before either set of words came along?):

Hey Mac, did ye see him as ye cam' doon by Gorgie,
   Awa ower the Lamerlaw or north o' the Tay?
_Yon_ man is comin', and the haill toon is turnin' oot;
   We're a' shair he'll win back tae Glesgie the day.
The jiners and hauders-on are marchin' frae Clydebank;
   Come on noo an' hear him - he'll be ower thrang tae byde.
Turn oot, Jock and Jimmie: leave your crans and your muckel gantries.

   Great John MacLean's comin' back tae the Clyde.
   Great John MacLean's comin' back tae the Clyde.

Argyle Street and London Road's the route that we're marchin' -
   The lads frae the Broomielaw are here - tae a man!
Hi Neil, whar's your hadarums, ye big Heilan teuchter?
   Get your pipes, mate, an' march at the heid o' the clan.
Hullo Pat Malone: sure I knew ye'd be here so:
   The red and the green, lad, we'll wear side by side.
Gorbals is his the day, and Glesgie belangs tae him.

   Aye, Great John MacLean's comin' hame tae the Clyde.
   Great John MacLean's comin' hame tae the Clyde.

Forward tae Glesgie Green we'll march in guid order:
   Wull grips his banner weel (that boy isna blate).
Ay there, man, that's Johnnie noo - that's him there, the bonnie fechter.
   Lenin's his fiere, lad, an' Libknecht's his mate.
Tak tent when he's speakin', for they'll mind whit he said here
   In Glesgie, oor city - an' the haill warld beside.
Och hey, lad the scarlet's bonnie: here's tae ye, Hieland Shony!

   Oor John MacLean has come hame tae the Clyde.
   Oor John MacLean has come hame tae the Clyde.

Aweel, when it's feenished, I'm awa back tae Springburn.
   (Come hame tae your tea, John, we'll sune hae ye fed).
It's hard work the speakin': och, I'm shair he'll be tired the nicht.
   I'll sleep on the flair, Mac, and gie John the bed.
The haill city's quiet noo: it kens that he's restin'
   At hame wi his Glesgie freens, their fame and their pride!
The red will be worn, my lads, an' Scotland will march again.

   Noo great John MacLean has come hame tae the Clyde.
   Great John MacLean has come hame tae the Clyde.

[ From "Homage to John MacLean", ed. T.S. Law and Thurso Berwick, first
  published by the John MacLean Society in 1973, reprinted by Edinburgh
  University Student Publications Board in 1979.  ISBN 0 90491 38 2. The
  poem was written in 1948 for a commemoration of the 25th anniversary
  of MacLean's death. ]

This and the Freedom Come-All-Ye surely belong the ftp lyrics server,
wherever it is.  Anybody know the details?

Incidentally, there is a new book out about MacLean, by James S. Young.  I
think it's published by Clydeside Press.  I'd rather they'd just reprinted
John Broom's book, but it'll have to do as nothing else is in print.  Rumour
has it that the John MacLean Society has enough spare cash to publish some
more stuff: I hope they do "In the Rapids of Revolution".

-- 
--  Jack Campin    room G092, Computing Science Department, Glasgow University,
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