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| Burns sent this to George Thompson of Edinburgh in 1795. It is also known as Is There Honest Poverty and For A' That and A' That. According to The Robert Burns Songbook the tune was based on Lady Macintosh's Reel, from Bremner's "Reels" (1759). Burns had used the tune earlier for Tho' Women's Minds. Prior to that Burns had used it for the melody for the song I am a Bard of no regard.
The song was sung the day of the reopening of the Scottish Parliament. For a full list of Burns tunes at this site, search for Robert Burns in the search engine. |
Is there for honest poverty That hangs his head, an' a' that The coward slave, we pass him by We dare be poor for a' that For a' that, an' a' that Our toil's obscure and a' that The rank is but the guinea's stamp The man's the gowd for a' that What though on hamely fare we dine Wear hoddin grey, an' a' that Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine A man's a man, for a' that For a' that, an' a' that Their tinsel show an' a' that The honest man, though e'er sae poor Is king o' men for a' that Ye see yon birkie ca'd a lord Wha struts an' stares an' a' that Tho' hundreds worship at his word He's but a coof for a' that For a' that, an' a' that His ribband, star and a' that The man o' independent mind He looks an' laughs at a' that A prince can mak' a belted knight A marquise, duke, an' a' that But an honest man's aboon his might Gude faith, he maunna fa' that For a' that an' a' that Their dignities an' a' that The pith o' sense an' pride o' worth Are higher rank that a' that Then let us pray that come it may (as come it will for a' that) That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth Shall bear the gree an' a' that For a' that an' a' that It's coming yet for a' that That man to man, the world o'er Shall brithers be for a' that |
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| Information From
The Robert Burns Songbook, Vol. I See Bibliography for full information. |
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