Also known as "MacPherson's Farewell" or "MacPherson's Rant", this song is supposed to have been composed by James MacPherson himself in Prison on the eve of his execution for cattle rustling. It has also been attributed to Robert Burns, among others. James was born in 1675, and became the leader of a gypsy gang of robbers, as well as an excellent fiddler. He was eventually caught in the town of Keith where a woman threw a blanket out of a window trapping him so that his pursuers could arrest him. He was found guilty at his trial in Banff and sentenced to hang. On the day of his execution, in 1700, the magistrates knew a reprieve was on its way from Aberdeen, so they put the town clock forward by 20 minutes so James could be hanged before the specified time. The legend has it that he played this tune on the gallows, then offered his fiddle to anyone in his clan who would play it at his wake. When no one accepted his offer, he broke it then threw it into the crowd, which doesn't quite fit the words of this version of the song. A broken fiddle, supposedly MacPherson's, may be seen at the Clan MacPherson Museum in Scotland.
It has been recorded by many artists including The Weavers, Theodore Bikel, Ewan MacColl, The Clancy Brothers and The Corries.
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Rating :
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Keywords, Tags :
folk song ballad scotland gypsy highwayman hanging burns bikel
Video Length :
4 : 10
Comments :
why every version of the song have different lyrics?
Because that's the nature of folk music.
I have just discovered this video and I'm now searching for the others and going to your site: I like traditional songs. You are doing a fantastic job.
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hi whits the chords i cant see what ur playing thanks
My favorite version is the corries but your version isnt far behind,Fantastic and an absolute pleasure to listen to,thanks buddy.
Thank you. That's quite a compliment!
no, stiphlerr, you're gay
yea douche
this is one of my favourite songs dude - give it a bit of welly. There's a band called jacobs pillow that are belters for that sort of craic.
and just to clear up the history;
scholars reckon the tune to be similar to what Macpherson wrote.
Lyrics like first appeared on 19th century broadsides (mostly from the poets box in dundee) based on surviving folk songs.
sir Walter Scott stole the tune and lyrics from existing material and produced the song raymond is singing.
4 : 10 
why every version of the song have different lyrics? 
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