Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Scots Wha Hae

Robert Burns

“Scots Wha Hae” as printed in The Canadian Soldiers' Song Book (1918).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 80 1918 · historical text
Public domainSoldier songHistorical song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Canadian Soldiers' Song Book, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled,

Scots wham Bruce has aften led,

Welcome to your gory bed,

Or to victory;

Now's the day and now's the hour,

See the front of battle lour,

See approach proud Edward's power,

Chains and slavery.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns (died 1796). Historical text published in The Canadian Soldiers' Song Book (1918); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Canadian Soldiers' Song Book (1918), “Scots Wha Hae”

The 1918 published edition is in the public domain in the United States (pre-1931 publication). Entries whose credited author died more than 70 years ago are also in the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions; other entries are held. The credited author died in 1796.

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.
Keep tracing

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