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Glencoe (Bitter Cold)

Colin Wilkie
Language: English



Related Songs

Glencoe
(Alastair McDonald)
Where Were You In The War ?
(Colin Wilkie)


[1996]
Parole e musica di Colin Wilkie, cantautore scozzese trapiantato in Germania
Nel suo album intitolato “Empty Chairs”

Empty Chairs

Sul massacro di Glencoe, Scozia, 13 febbraio 1692, si veda anche Glencoe di Jim McLean, dalla pagina riprendo l’introduzione.



Nel 1688 il re cattolico Giacomo (di Inghilterra, di Irlanda e di Scozia) fu deposto e sostituito da Guglielmo d'Orange, di fede protestante. Questi chiese subito che tutti i propri sudditi, specie gli irriducibili clan scozzesi delle Highlands che avevano sostenuto il rivale Giacomo, gli presentassero il proprio giuramento di fedeltà entro il 1 gennaio 1692... Alcuni lo fecero, altri tergiversarono, tra questi il clan MacDonald di Glencoe che, provocatoriamente, decise di giurare fedeltà al nuovo monarca solo all'ultimo momento, a termine scaduto.
Guglielmo solo apparentemente accettò il per nulla entusiasta atto di sottomissione dei MacDonald di Glencoe e architettò la rappresaglia...
120 uomini armati al comando del capitano Robert Campbell furono inviati, con la scusa di un giro per l'esazione fiscale, nella tenuta dei MacDonald dove chiesero e ottennero la tradizionale ospitalità delle Highlands... Campbell era, oltre tutto, un parente dei MacDonald, che niente sospettarono... Dopo due settimane di amichevole convivenza sotto lo stesso tetto, Campbell e i suoi aggredirono notte tempo i membri del clan che li ospitava e ne trucidarono una quarantina; altrettanti morirono assiderati dopo che la tenuta fu data alle fiamme...
Così si consumò la vendetta del perfido re Guglielmo. (fonte: en.wikipedia)
Bitter cold was the night
Bitter cold was the wind
Bitter cold the drifts
Of February snow
More bitter than cold
Were the hearts of the men
Who ravished Glencoe
From Ballachulish

The Argylles marched
Campbell of Glenlyon
At their head
They asked us for quarters
We welcomed them in
They gave us no quarter
When the slaughter did begin

Bitter cold was the night
Bitter cold was the wind
Bitter cold the drifts
Of February snow
More bitter than cold
Were the hearts of the men
Who ravished Glencoe
From Ballachulish

Lindsay, the liar, said:
"We come as friends!"
Though surrounded by soldiers
We accepted his word
In his pocket were orders
From King William that read:
"Put the whole of Clan MacDonald
To the sword!"

Bitter cold was the night
Bitter cold was the wind
Bitter cold the drifts
Of February snow
More bitter than cold
Were the hearts of the men
Who ravished Glencoe
From Ballachulish

They drank of our whisky
They drank of our wine
They ate of our meat
Our salt and bread
Then at five in the morn
Those cowards arose
With murderous intent
Our blood to shed

Bitter cold was the night
Bitter cold was the wind
Bitter cold the drifts
Of February snow
More bitter than cold
Were the hearts of the men
Who ravished Glencoe
From Ballachulish

Duncan Rankin
Was the first to fall
Redcoat bullets
Buried in his breast
Then Alisdair MacDonald died
A dram in his hand
Our chief had poured a glass to toast
The health of his guests

Bitter cold was the night
Bitter cold was the wind
Bitter cold the drifts
Of February snow
More bitter than cold
Were the hearts of the men
Who ravished Glencoe
From Ballachulish

Some of us died
In the arms of our wives
The blood of our children
Stained the snow
But some of us survived
The treachery, to tell
About the murderers who massacred
The MacDonalds of Glencoe

Bitter cold was the night
Bitter cold was the wind
Bitter cold the drifts
Of February snow
More bitter than cold
Were the hearts of the men
Who ravished Glencoe
From Ballachulish

Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2018/2/7 - 08:26




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