Macfarlane’s Lantern
© 2004 Joe and Rebecca Duval
This song is dedicated to the MacFarlanes, who, for over five centuries, dominated the lands of Arrochar, a village in the southwest Highlands at the head of Loch Long.
Over the centuries, the MacFarlanes gained notoriety as cattle rustlers. By moonlight, they would creep stealthily onto the lands of their wealthier neighbors to the south and east, and drive their beasts back to Arrochar. They became so adept at thievery that the full moon began to be known commonly as MacFarlanes’ Lantern.
I can see the full moon rising up the eastern sky tonight
Shining down as bright as it can be
Some say it’s for magic, and some say it’s for love
But it never means either one to me
Not to me
We crouch behind the craigie and we wait upon the night
Not one of Parlan’s sons will speak a word
We’ll move in on Buchanan’s when we know the time is right
And the anthem of the piper can be heard
And do our part in thinning out his herd
Then it’s drive ‘em to the Highlands, before the night is gone
“Loch Sloy!”, we lads together, we’ll work until the dawn
They’ll be grazing in the glen like they’ve been there all along
And no one will ever know
It’s the night when the cows come home
Waiting for the crainie hour we rally on the Ben
With claymores at the ready for a fight
Until the lantern o’er Loch Lomand lights our way again
Colquhoun’s kye will be ours tonight
The moon shines bright
Lammastide is coming and our wee bairns must be fed
With the moon to guide, we’ll travel to the north
Graham’s smalls can have their bowl of oats to eat instead
When we drive their cattle home along the Forth
We’ll be eating well in Arrochar once more.
Then it’s drive ‘em to the Highlands, before the night is gone
“Loch Sloy!”, we lads together, we’ll work until the dawn
They’ll be grazing in the glen like they’ve been there all along
And no one will ever know
It’s the night when the cows come home
MacFarlane’s Lantern guides us to collect from east and south
From MacAulay’s holdings all along the shore
MacLaren’s land stands barren, their herd has now moved on
They’ve made their way beyond the gloomy moor
They’ll pasture ‘neath the Boar’s Rock there no more
Then it’s drive ‘em to the Highlands, before the night is gone
“Loch Sloy!”, we lads together, we’ll work until the dawn
They’ll be grazing in the glen like they’ve been there all along
And no one will ever know
It’s the night when the cows come home