John Anderson: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Culloden Muir

John Anderson

“Culloden Muir” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

John Anderson: Collected Lyrics Text 1 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Culloden muir, Culloden field,

Long wilt thou be remember'd:

On thee the hero nobly fell,

And with the dead was number'd;

On thee the dearest blood was shed,

By numbers doubled fairly;

On thee the clans of Scotland bled

For their dear royal Charlie.

Thy broad brown sward that day was dyed,

The howes were clotted o'er;

From gaping wounds incessant flow'd

The red, red-reeking gore:

Thou drank'st the precious blood of those

Who fought that day fu' sairly,

A glorious day for Scotland's foes,

Eventful for prince Charlie!

Oh! Charlie, noble, gallant youth,

Thy memory Scots revere;

They loved thee with the warmest truth,

Their hearts were all sincere:

But traitor knaves, with brib'ry base,

Made death's darts fly fu' rarely,

And Scotland lang will mind the place

She lost her royal Charlie.

Credits

Written by John Anderson

Words by John Anderson. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “Culloden Muir”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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