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This jaunty melody is an old Scottish fiddle tune and the title
refers to an English general, Sir John (Johnnie) Cope. The writer of the
lyrics, Adam Skirving, is mocking the general, whose army was defeated by the
Highlanders, led by Bonnie Prince Charlie, at the Battle of Prestonpans during
the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745.
Cope sent a challenge frae Dunbar,
Sayin'
"Chairlie meet me gin ye daur,
An' I'll learn ye the art o' war.
If
you'll meet me in the mornin'."
Hey Johnnie Cope, are ye
waukin'yet,
Or are yer drums a beatin' yet?
If ye were waukin' I wad
wait
Tae gang tae the coals in the mornin'.
When Chairlie looked
the letter upon,
He drew his sword the scabbard from,
"Come follow me
my merry men,
An' we'll meet Johhny Cope in the mornin'."
Hey
Johnnie Cope, are ye waukin'yet etc.
"Now Johnnie be as guid's your
word
Come let us try baith fire an'sword
An' dinna flee like a frichtet
bird
That's chas'd frae its next n the mornin."
Hey Johnnie Cope,
are ye waukin' yet etc.
When Johnnie Cope he heard o' this,
He
thocht it wadna be amiss,
Tae hae a horse in readiness,
Tae flee awa in
the mornin'.
Hey Johnnie Cope, are ye waukin' yet etc.
"Fie
Johnnie, noo get up and rin
The Highland bagpipes mak a din
It's best
to sleep in a hale skin
For ‘twill be a bluddie mornin"
Hey
Johnnie Cope, are ye waukin' yet etc.
When Johnnie Cope tae Berwick
came,
They spiered at him,"Where's a' yer men,
The de'il confoond me, I
dinnae ken,
For I've left them in the mornin'.
Hey Johnnie Cope,
are ye waukin' yet etc.
gin - if
daur - dare
waukin' - awake
chairlie - charlie
thocht - thought
spiered - asked
de'il confoond
me gin I ken - the devil confound me if I knew |