Mary Ross: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Maclaine

Mary Ross

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

Mary Ross: 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

Banners are waving o'er Morven's dark heath,

Claymores are flashing from many a sheath;

Hark! 'tis the gathering. On, onward! they cry;

Far flies the signal to conquer or die.

Then follow thee, follow a boat to the sea,

Thy Prince in Glen Moidart is waiting for thee,

Where war-pipes are sounding and banners are free,

Maclaine and his clansmen the foremost you'll see.

Wildly the war-cry has startled yon stag,

And waken'd the echoes of Gillian's lone crag;

Up hill and down glen each brave mountaineer

Has belted his plaid and has mounted his spear.

Then follow thee, &c.

The signal is heard from mountain to shore,

They rush like the flood o'er dark Corry-vohr,

The war-note is sounding, loud, wildly, and high,

Louder they shout, On, to conquer or die!

Then follow thee, &c.

The heath-bell at morn so proudly ye trod,

Son of the mountain! now covers thy sod;

Wrapt in your plaid, 'mid the bravest ye lie,

The words as ye fell still conquer or die.

Then follow thee, &c.

Credits

Written by Mary Ross

Words by Mary Ross. 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, “Maclaine”

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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