Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Callum-a-Glen

Traditional

“Callum-a-Glen” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 72 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

Was ever old warrior of suffering so weary?

Was ever the wild beast so bayed in his den?

The Southron blood hounds lie in kennels so near me,

That death would be freedom to Callum-a-Glen.

My chief they have slain, and of stay have bereft me,

My sons are all slain and my daughters have left me;

No child to protect me, where once there was ten,

And woe to the grey hairs of Callum-a-Glen.

The homes of my kindred are blazing to heaven,

The bright sun of morning has blushed of the view;

The moon has stood still on the verge of the even,

To wipe from her pale cheek the tint of the dew:

For the dew it lies red on the vales of Lochaber;

It sprinkles the cot and it flows from the pen.

The pride of my country is fallen for ever!

Death, hast thou no shaft for old Callum-a-Glen?

The sun in his glory has looked on our sorrow,

The stars have wept blood over hamlet and lea:

Oh, is there no day-spring for Scotland? no morrow

Of bright renovation for souls of the free?

Yes: one above all has beheld our devotion;

Our valour and faith are not hid from his ken;

The day is abiding of stern retribution

On all the proud foes of old Callum-a-Glen.

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, “Callum-a-Glen”

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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