The King's Shilling lyrics and guitar chords
4/4 The Battlefield Band. .The King's Shilling was written by Ian Sinclair from Caithness in Scotland, fiddle player of the band Mirk and writer of lovely songs and tunes. The ukulele chord shapes are included. This song is often described as traditional. It isn't. The song was also recorded by Karan Casey and James Taylor.
Oh my [G]love has [D]left me wi' [A]bairnies [D]twa
And [A]that's the [G]last o' him I [A]ever [D]saw He [G]joined the [D]army and he’s [A]marched a[D]wa' He [G]took the [D]shillin' He [G]took the [D]shillin' and he’s [A]off tae [D]war. Chorus Come [G]laddies [D]come, hear the [G]cannons roar Tak' the [D]King's shilling an' we're [A]off tae [D]war Come [G]laddies [D]come, hear the [G]cannons roar Tak' the [D]King's shilling an' we're [A]off tae [D]war Oh he [G]looked sae [D]prood and sae [A]gallant [D]then Wi' his [A]kilt and [G]sporran an' his [A]musket [D]gun And the [G]ladies [D]kissed them as they [A]marched a[D]long And they [G]sailed a[D]wa' boys They [G]sailed a[D]wa', boys, by the [A]Broomie[D]law Chorus The [G]pipes did [D]play as they [A]marched a[D]long And the [A]men they [G]sang oot a [A]battle [D]song "March [G]on, march [D]on," cried our [A]Captain [D]gay For [G]King and [D]country For [G]King and [D]country we will [A]fight this [D]day Chorus The [G]battle [D]echoed tae the [A]sound o' [D]guns And [A]bayonets [G]flashed in the [A]morning [D]sun The [G]drums did [D]beat and the [A]cannons [D]roared And the [G]shillin' [D]didn't seem The [G]shillin' [D]didn't seem much [A]worth no [D]more Chorus Some [G]lost the [D]battle, their [A]bodies [D]fell Cut [A]doon by [G]bayonets and [A]musket [D]ball And [G]many [D]o' these [A]brave young [D]men Would [G]never [D]fight for Would [G]never [D]fight for their [A]King a[D]gain Chorus Repeat 1st verse |
Here's another version of the chords in the key of C.
Oh my [F]love has [C]left me wi' [G]bairnies [C]twa And [G]that's the [F]last o' him I [G]ever [C]saw He [F]joined the [C]army and he’s [G]marched a[C]wa' He [F]took the [C]shillin' He [F]took the [C]shillin' and he’s [G]off tae [C]war. Chorus Come [F]laddies [C]come, hear the [F]cannons roar Tak' the [C]King's shilling an' we're [G]off tae [C]war Come [F]laddies [C]come, hear the [F]cannons roar Tak' the [C]King's shilling an' we're [G]off tae [C]war Oh he [F]looked sae [C]prood and sae [G]gallant [C]then Wi' his [G]kilt and [F]sporran an' his [G]musket [C]gun And the [F]ladies [C]kissed them as they [G]marched a[C]long And they [F]sailed a[C]wa' boys They [F]sailed a[C]wa', boys, by the [G]Broomie[C]law Chorus The [F]pipes did [C]play as they [G]marched a[C]long And the [G]men they [F]sang oot a [G]battle [C]song "March [F]on, march [C]on," cried our [G]Captain [C]gay For [F]King and [C]country For [F]King and [C]country we will [G]fight this [C]day Chorus The [F]battle [C]echoed tae the [G]sound o' [C]guns And [G]bayonets [F]flashed in the [G]morning [C]sun The [F]drums did [C]beat and the [G]cannons [C]roared And the [F]shillin' [C]didn't seem The [F]shillin' [C]didn't seem much [G]worth no [C]more Chorus Some [F]lost the [C]battle, their [G]bodies [C]fell Cut [G]doon by [F]bayonets and [G]musket [C]ball And [F]many [C]o' these [G]brave young [C]men Would [F]never [C]fight for Would [F]never [C]fight for their [G]King a[C]gain |