Johnny Cope

by Adam Skirving

(This is the traditional version, as authored by Adam Skivring in 1745; many other versions of this popular Jacobite song exist)

Cope sent a challenge frae Dunbar,

Sayin Charlie meet me an' ye daur;

An' I'll learn ye the art o' war,

If ye'll meet me in the morning.

Hey! Johnny Cope, are ye a-waukin' yet?

Or are your drums a-beating yet?

If ye were waukin' I wad wait,

Tae gang tae the coals in the morning.

When Charlie looked the letter upon,

He drew his sword the scabbard from

Come, follow me my merry men,

And we'll meet Johnny Cope in the morning.

Hey! Johnny Cope, are ye a-waukin' yet?

Or are your drums a-beating yet?

If ye were waukin' I wad wait,

Tae gang tae the coals in the morning.

Now Johnny be as good as your word,

Come, let us try baith fire and sword,

And dinna flee like a frichted bird,

That's chased frae its nest i' the morning.

Hey! Johnny Cope, are ye a-waukin' yet?

Or are your drums a-beating yet?

If ye were waukin' I wad wait,

Tae gang tae the coals in the morning.

When Johnny Cope he heard o' this,

He thocht it wouldna be amiss,

Tae hae a horse in readiness,

Tae flee awa in the morning.

Hey! Johnny Cope, are ye a-waukin' yet?

Or are your drums a-beating yet?

If ye were waukin' I wad wait,

Tae gang tae the coals in the morning.

Fye now, Johnny, get up an' rin,

The Highland bagpipes mak' a din,

It's better tae sleep in a hale skin,

For it will be a bluidie morning.

Hey! Johnny Cope, are ye a-waukin' yet?

Or are your drums a-beating yet?

If ye were waukin' I wad wait,

Tae gang tae the coals in the morning.

When Johnny Cope tae Dunbar cam,

They speired at him, "Where's a' your men"

"The de'il confound me gin I ken,

For I left them a' in the morning."

Hey! Johnny Cope, are ye a-waukin' yet?

Or are your drums a-beating yet?

If ye were waukin' I wad wait,

Tae gang tae the coals in the morning.

Now Johnny, troth ye werena blate,

Tae come wi' news o' your ain defeat,

And leave your men in sic a strait,

Sae early in the morning.

Hey! Johnny Cope, are ye a-waukin' yet?

Or are your drums a-beating yet?

If ye were waukin' I wad wait,

Tae gang tae the coals in the morning.

In faith, quo Johnny, I got sic flegs

Wi' their claymores an' philabegs,

Gin I face them again, de'il brak my legs,

So I wish you a' good morning.