A              E
Sae rantonly, sae wantonly,
       A           D
Sae dauntonly gaed he -
         A                    E
For he played a tune and he danced aroond
 A          D      E7
Below the gallows tree 

[Verse 1]

       A             E
It was by a woman's treacherous hand
     A                   D
That I was condemned to dee;
     A            E
She stood uben a windae ledge,
     A         D        E7
A blanket she threw o'er me 

[Chorus]

      A              E
Sae rantonly, sae wantonly,
       A           D
Sae dauntonly gaed he -
         A                    E
For he played a tune and he danced aroond
 A          D      E7
Below the gallows tree 


[Verse 2]

        A                    E
O, the Laird o' Grant, that Hieland saint,
       A                 D
That first laid hands on me -
    A                   E
He placed the cause on Peter Broon
    A    D        E7
To let MacPherson dee 

[Chorus]

      A              E
Sae rantonly, sae wantonly,
       A           D
Sae dauntonly gaed he -
         A                    E
For he played a tune and he danced aroond
 A          D      E7
Below the gallows tree 

[Verse 3]
   A                         E
So tak off these bands frae roond my hands
    A             D
And gie to me my fiddle -
         A           E
There's nae a man in a' Scotland
      A         D     E7
That brave's me at my word 

[Chorus]

      A              E
Sae rantonly, sae wantonly,
       A           D
Sae dauntonly gaed he -
         A                    E
For he played a tune and he danced aroond
 A          D      E7
Below the gallows tree 


[Verse 4]

    A                        E
O, there's some come here to see me hung
     A              D
And some to buy my fiddle,
 A              E
Before I would depairt wi' her
     A          D         E7
I'd brak her through the middle 

[Chorus]

      A              E
Sae rantonly, sae wantonly,
       A           D
Sae dauntonly gaed he -
         A                    E
For he played a tune and he danced aroond
 A          D      E7
Below the gallows tree 


[Verse 5]

   A                 E
I took my fiddle in both my hands
    A                D
And broke her ower a stone;
         A                E
There's nae anither will play on thee
     A     D        E7
When I am dead and gone 

[Chorus]

      A              E
Sae rantonly, sae wantonly,
       A           D
Sae dauntonly gaed he -
         A                    E
For he played a tune and he danced aroond
 A          D      E7
Below the gallows tree 


[Verse 6]

  A            E
Little did my mither think
      A                D
When first she cradled me,
     A               D
That I would turn a rovin' lad
        A         D      E7
And be hung on a gallows tree 

[Chorus]

      A              E
Sae rantonly, sae wantonly,
       A           D
Sae dauntonly gaed he -
         A                    E
For he played a tune and he danced aroond
 A          D      E7
Below the gallows tree 


[Verse 7]

     A                           E
His reprieve was comin' o'er the brig o' Banff
   A               D
To set MacPherson free
          A                 E
Well they put the clock a quarter afore
      A          D        E7
They hanged him from the tree