TWA RECRUITIN’ SERGEANTS Lyrics And Guitar Chords

4/4 (Traditional Scottish Song) For the McCalman’s version from their album ‘Songs From Scotland’ use capo on 3rd fret, guitar work by Marc Fahrbach.

There was (D)twa recruiting (Bm)sergeants came (Em)frae the Black Watch 
Tae (G)markets and (D)fairs, some re(Em)cruits for tae (A)catch. 
But (G)a' that they (D)'listed was (Em)forty and (Bm)twa: 
En(D)list my bonnie (Bm)laddie an' (G)come a(D)wa.
 
Chorus 
And it's (D)over the (Bm)mountains and (Em)over the Main, 
(G)Through Gi(D)bralter, to (Em)France and (A)Spain. 
Pit a (G)feather tae your (D)bonnet, and a (Em)kilt aboon your (Bm)knee, 
En(D)list my bonnie (Bm)laddie and (G)come awa with (D)me.
 
Its (D)out o’ the (Bm)barn and (Em)into the byre, 
Well (G)this ole (D)farmer, he (Em)thinks ye never (A)tire. 
It's a (G)slavery (D)job, of (Em)low de(Bm)gree. 
Sae (D)list my bonnie (Bm)laddie and (G)come awa with (D)me
 
Chorus
 
Oh (D)laddie ye (Bm)dinna ken the (Em)danger that yer in. 
If yer (G)horses was to (D)fleg, and yer (Em)owsen was to (A)rin, 
This (G)greedy ole (D)farmer, he (Em)wouldna pay yer (Bm)fee. 
Sae (D)list my bonnie (Bm)laddie and (G)come awa wi' (D)me
 
Chorus + Intro
 
Optional verse (not used by the McCalmans)
With (D)your tattie (Bm)porin's and yer (Em)meal and kale, 
Yer (G)soor sowan' (D)soorin's and yer (Em)ill-brewed (A)ale, 
Yer (G)buttermilk, yer (D)whey, and yer (Em)breid fired (Bm)raw. 
Sae (D)list my bonnie (Bm)laddie and (G)come a(D)wa.
 
Chorus
 
O (D)laddie (Bm)if ye had a (Em)sweetheart an' a bairn, 
Ye'll (G)easily get (D)rid o' that (Em)ill-spun (A)yarn. 
Twa (G)rattles o' the (D)drum, aye and (Em)that'll pay it (Bm)a'. 
Sae (D)list my bonnie (Bm)laddie and (G)come a(D)wa.
 
Chorus twice
 
Meaning of unusual words: 
twa=two 
awa=away 
aboon=above 
bonnie=handsome 
fleg=take fright 
owsen=oxen 
rin=run 
Tattie pourin's=water in which pototoes have been boiled. 
kale=a kind of crinkly cabbage 
Soor sooin' sourin's sowans = a dish made by steeping and fermenting the husks or siftings
of oats in water, then boiling. 
whey=liquid left when milk forms into lumps. 
aye=yes