Karen Casey – The King’s Shilling Chords

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

Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King’s shilling and you’re off to war

Oh he looked sae prood and sae gallant then
With his kilt and sporran and his musket gun
And the ladies kissed them as they marched along
And they sailed awa’ boys
They sailed awa’, boys, by the Broomie law

Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King’s shilling and we’re off to war
Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King’s shilling and we’re off to war

The pipes did play as they marched along
And the men they sang oot a battle song
“March on, march on,” cried our Captain gay
For King and country
For King and country we will fight this day

Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King’s shilling and we’re off to war
Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King’s shilling and we’re off to war

The battle echoed to the sound of guns
And bayonets flashed in the morning sun
The drums did beat and the cannons roared
And the shilling didn’t seem
The shilling didn’t seem much worth no more

Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King’s shilling and we’re off to war
Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King’s shilling and we’re off to war

Some lost the battle, their bodies fell
Cut doon by bayonets and musket ball
And many of these brave young men
Would never fight for
Would never fight for their King again

Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King’s shilling and we’re off to war
Come laddies come, hear the cannons roar
Take the King’s shilling and we’re off to war

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