Story Behind The Song
the Clearances took place in Scotland several hundred years ago..when the Chieftans decided they needed to expand their lands and fortunes...so, they cast out the poor that found refuge on their lands and sent them in ships out to fend for themselves...the conditions were atrocious and many died...
| Song Length |
3:47 |
Genre |
Folk - General |
Lyrics
v1
it was a forced march over miles of green sea
in ships built for cattle and wood
whole families stowed in the hold far below
surviving on whatever they could
chorus
Glengarry, Strathglass, Strathnaver, Barra
Glancalvie, Greenyards, Glencoe
Sutherland, Ross and my own dear Islay
brothers wherever we go
v2
once it was rocks that lent the ship its weight
now starvation is her only freight
the lord paid 5 shillings to cover all the fees
consigning their fates to the sea
chorus
Glengarry, Strathglass, Strathnaver, Barra
Glancalvie, Greenyards, Glencoe
Sutherland, Ross and my own dear Islay
brothers wherever we go
v3
African Slavers grew rich from their shame
not the ships from Skye or Dunblane
cast out like lepers for the chieftans gain
from the hills where William Wallace found his fame
chorus
Glengarry, Strathglass, Strathnaver, Barra
Glancalvie, Greenyards, Glencoe
Sutherland, Ross and my own dear Islay
brothers wherever we go