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Macphersons Rant - Alex Campbell

Macphersons Rant

View chords used in this chart

[Intro ]

C G C G C Am C G C F G

Verse

C G

"Fareweel, ye dungeons dark and strang

C Am

Fareweel, fareweel", said he

C G

"MacPherson's time will no' be lang

C F G

Alow the gallows tree"

Chorus

C G

Sae rantingly, sae wantonly

C Am

Sae dauntingly gaed he

C G

He played a tune and he danced it aroon'

C F G

Alow the gallows tree

Verse

C G

"It was by a woman's treacherous hand

C Am

That I was condemned tae dee

C G

Aboon a ledge at a windae she stood

C F G

And a blanket she threw o'er me"

Chorus

C G

Sae rantingly, sae wantonly

C Am

Sae dauntingly gaed he

C G

He played a tune and he danced it aroon'

C F G

Alow the gallows tree

Verse

C G

"Untie these bands frae aff o' my hands

C Am

And gie tae me my sword

C G

There's no a man in a' Scotland

C F G

But I'll brave him at his word"

Chorus

C G

Sae rantingly, sae wantonly

C Am

Sae dauntingly gaed he

C G

He played a tune and he danced it aroon'

C F G

Alow the gallows tree

Verse

C G

"Well, there's some come here tae see me hang

C Am

And some tae buy my fiddle

C G

But afore that I dae part wi' her

C F G

I'd brak' her through the middle"

Chorus

C G

Sae rantingly, sae wantonly

C Am

Sae dauntingly gaed he

C G

He played a tune and he danced it aroon'

C F G

Alow the gallows tree

Verse

C G

Well, he took his fiddle into both of his hands

C Am

And he brak' it o'er a stane

C G

Said, "Nae ither hands shall play on thee

C F G

When I am deid and gane"

Chorus

C G

Sae rantingly, sae wantonly

C Am

Sae dauntingly gaed he

C G

He played a tune and he danced it aroon'

C F G

Alow the gallows tree

Verse

C G

"Och, little did my mother think

C Am

When first she cradled me

C G

That I would turn a roving boy

C F G

And die on the gallows tree"

Chorus

C G

Sae rantingly, sae wantonly

C Am

Sae dauntingly gaed he

C G

He played a tune and he danced it aroon'

C F G

Alow the gallows tree

Verse

C G

The reprieve it was coming o'er the Brig o' Banff

C Am

Tae set MacPherson free

C G

But they put the knock tae quarter past four

C F G

And they hanged him tae the tree

Chorus

C G

Sae rantingly, sae wantonly

C Am

Sae dauntingly gaed he

C G

He played a tune and he danced it aroon'

C F G

Alow the gallows tree

How to play Macphersons Rant

Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.

What is the starting chord?

The first identified chord is C. You can transpose without leaving the page.

Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?

Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.

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