Oh my love has left me with bairnes twa
And that's the last of him I ever saw
He joined the army and marched to war
He took the shilling, he took the shilling and he's off to war

Come, laddies, come, hear the cannon roar
Take the king's shilling and you're off to war

Well, did he look as he marched along
With his kilt and sporran and his musket gun?
The ladies tipped him as he marched along
He sailed out by, he sailed out by the Broomielaw

Well the pipes did play as he marched along
And the soldiers sang out a battle song
"March on, march on," cried the captain gay
For king and country, for king and country we will fight today

Come, laddies, come, hear the cannon roar
Take the king's shilling and you're off to war

Well the battle rattled to the sound of guns
And the bayonets flashed in the morning sun
The drums did beat and the cannons roared
And the shilling didn't seem, oh the shilling didn't seem much worth the war

Well, the men they fought and the men did fall
Cut down by bayonet and musket ball
Many of these brave young men
Would never fight for, would never fight for the king again

Come, laddies, come, hear the cannon roar
Take the king's shilling and you're off to war
Come, laddies, come, hear the cannon roar
Take the king's shilling and you're off to war
Come, laddies, come, hear the cannon roar
Take the king's shilling and you're off to war

Die in war...
Take the king's shilling and you're off to war...