As I cam' in by Dunideer and doon by Nether Ha' There were fifty thoosand' heilan' men a-marchin' tae Harlaw Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey As I gaed on an' farther on and doon an' by Balquhain Oh it's there I saw Sir James the Rose and wi' him John the Graeme Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey "It's cam' ye fae the Heilan's man, cam' ye a' the wye? Saw ye MacDonald and his men as they cam' in fae Skye?" Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey "It's I was near and near eneuch that I their numbers saw There was fifty thoosan' heilan' men a-marchin' tae Harlaw" Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey "Gin that be true," says James the Rose, "We'll no cam' muckle speed We'll cry upon wir merry men and turn wir horse's heid" Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey "Oh na, o' na," says John the Graeme, "This thing will nivver be The gallant Graemes wis nivver beat, we'll try fit we can dae" Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey Well, as I gaed on an' further on an' doon an' by Harlaw There fell fu' close on ilka side sic straiks ye nivver saw Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey There fell fu' close on ilka side sic straiks ye nivver saw An' ilka sword gaed clash for clash at the Battle of Harlaw Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey The Heilan' men wi' their lang swords, they laid on us fu' sair And they drave back wir merry men three acres breadth and mair Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey An' Forbes tae his brither did say, "Noo brither, can't ye see They've beaten us back on ilka side and we'll be forced tae flee" Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey "Oh na, na, my brither bold, this thing will nivver be Ye'll tak yer guid sword in yer haun', ye'll gang in wi' me" Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey Well, it's back tae back the brithers bold gaed in amangst the thrang And they drave back the heilan' men wi' swords baith sharp and lang Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey An' the firstan stroke that Forbes struck, he gart MacDonald reel An' the neistan straik that Forbes struck, the brave MacDonald fell Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey An siccan a ptlairchie o' the likes ye nivver saw As wis amangst the Heilan' men fan they saw MacDonald fa' Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey Some rade, some ran and some did gang, they were o' sma' record For Forbes and his merry men, they slew them on the road Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey O' fifty thoosan' Heilan' men, but fifty-three gaed hame And oot o' a' the Lawlan' men, fifty marched wi' Graeme Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey Gin onybody spier at ye for them that marched awa' Ye can tell them plain and very plain they're sleepin' at Harlaw Wi' a durum a drue an a dree an a drum Durum a drue drum drey
https://lyrics.primoaccordo.net/misc-traditional/battle-of-harlaw.htm