The Flowers Of The Forest Lyrics And Chords

 Words and music by Jean Elliot 1727-1805. This song is about the soldiers who never returned after the battle of Flodden in 1513. Over 10,000 Scottish men were killed in the battle along with their king James IV. 
The tune of the song may actually be older, it's a favorite tune on the pipes in Scotland. Recorded by Dick Gaughan among others. Dick uses a capo on the 3th fret and plays a more complicated set of chords that are given here. Also included is another song that was recorded by Dick, The Worker's Song. More Scottish Lyrics And Chords .

[G]I've heard them liltin', [D]at the ewe[C] milk[D]in,'
[G]Lasses a-liltin' be[D]fore dawn of [G]day.
[D]But now [F]they are moan[C]in', on [G]ilka green [C]loan[D]in'.
The [G]flowers of the [C]forest are [D]a' wede a[G]way.


As boughts in the mornin', nae blithe lads are scornin',
Lasses are lonely and dowie and wae.
Nae daffin', nae gabbin', but sighin' and sobbin',
Ilk ane lifts her leglin, and hies her away.


At e'en in the gloamin', nae swankies are roamin',
'Mang stacks wi' the lasses at bogle to play.
But ilk maid sits drearie, lamentin' her dearie,
The flowers of the forest are a' wede away.


In har'st at the shearin' nae youths now are jeerin'
Bandsters are runkled, and lyart, or grey.
At fair or at preachin', nae wooin', nae fleecin',
The flowers of the forest are a' wede away.


Dool for the order sent our lads to the Border,
the English for ance by guile wan the day.
The flowers of the forest, that fought aye the foremost,
The prime of our land lie cauld in the clay.


We'll hae nae mair liltin', at the ewe milkin',
Women and bairns are dowie and wae.
Sighin' and moanin' on ilka green loanin',
The flowers of the forest are all wede away.

The Worker's Song Lyrics And Chords By Dick Gaughan.
Dick plays this song in the key of Ab. If you want to play along with Dick's version place a capo on the first fret and use these chords.

​[G]Come all of you workers who [C]toil night and [G]day
By[C] hand and by brain to earn your pay
Who for [G]centuries long past for no[C] more than your [G]bread
[C]Have bled [G]for your countries and [C]counted your [G]dead

[G]In the factories and mills, in the [C]shipyards a[G]nd mines
We've [C]often been told to keep up with the times
[G]For our skills are not needed, they've [C]streamlined the [G]job
And with [C]sliderule[G] and stopwatch our pride [G]they have robbed[C]

But [G]when the sky darkens and the [C]prospect is [G]war
[C]Who's given a gun and then pushed to the [G]fore
And expected to die for the [C]land of our [G]birth
When [C]we've [G]never owned one [Dm]hand[G]ful of earth?

G    C G  C   G

[G]We're the first ones to starve [C]the first [Am]one[G]s to die
The [C]first ones in line for that [G]pie-in-the-sky
And always the last when the [C]cream is shared [G]out
[C]For the worker is [G]working when the [Dm]fat cat's a[C]bout

All of[G] these things the worker has done
From [C]tilling the fields to carrying the gun
We've been [G]yoked to the plough since [C]time first be[G]gan
[C]And always ex[G]pected to carry the can

Dick Gaughan singer of The Flowers Of The Forrest