Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Caledonians, brave and bold

Traditional

“Caledonians, brave and bold” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 71 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

Caledonians, brave and bold,

Heroes, never bought or sold,

Sons of sires, who died of old

To gild a martial story!

Beauty claims the warrior's shield,

In her cause the death sword yield

Draw and join the battle field,

On to death or glory!

Who would shun the glorious strife?

Where's the slave would cling to life,

When father, husband, daughter, wife,

For prompt relief implore ye?

Who would yield soft woman's charms

To bless a ruffian foeman's arms?

Perish the thought! sound, sound your alarms!

On to death or glory!

Here's the path to sluggard peace,

Here's the haunt of dastard ease,

That sink to death, by slow degrees,

Unhonour'd, weak, and hoary:

But ye who court a brighter name,

This way lies the road to fame;

Follow then through flood and flame,

And shout, For death or glory!

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. 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, “Caledonians, brave and bold”

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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