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