Marcher battle song

Original tune Hughie Graeme as sung by June Tabor. Lyrics by Daisy Abbott and Chris Edwards.

The verse and repeat should be sung to the first variation (v1 in the recording linked above), the chorus is to the second variation (v2 in the recording linked above).

Marcher lasses, Marcher lads, Leave your homes and leave your farms Beat your ploughshares into swords The time has come to take up arms

Repeat

Chorus: Come along and join with me Hear the horns the Beaters blow Our foes will fall before the scythe From earth we come, to earth we go

Join me marching ever on With your billhook in your hand Feel the ground begin to shake When Marchers fight for Marcher land

Repeat

Chorus

We are stout and we are strong Marcher folk will never yield We shall never be afraid With Virtue as our shining shield

Repeat

Chorus

Those that stand before us now They shall reap just as they sow Their bodies will enrich our soil Their blood will make the barley grow

Repeat

Chorus