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A Man's A Man
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Album: There Was A Lad
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Lyrics: Robert Burns (1795)
The words for this song were written in January 1795. The words were included in a letter from Burns to Mr. G. Thompson, a collector of Scottish music, dated 15th Jan, 1795. Burns apparently felt this wasn't his best work, as he wrote this about the piece: "The foregoing has lain by me this fortnight, for want of a spare moment. . . . I do not give you the song for your book, but merely by way of vive la bagatelle; for the piece is not really poetry" (bagatelle means insignificant or trifle).
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Is there for honest poverty that hangs his head and a' that
The coward slave, we pass him by we dare be poor for a' that
For a' that and a' that, our toils obscure and a' that
The rank is but the guinea stamp the man's the gowd for a' that
What tho' on homely fare we dine, wear hodden gray and a' that,
Gie fools their silk and knaves their wine, a man's a man for a' that.
For a' that and a' that, their tinsel show and a' that,
The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor is king o' men for a' that.
Ye see yon birkie called a lord, who struts and stares and a' that,
Tho' hundreds worship at his word, he's but a cuif for a' that.
For a' that and a' that, his ribband star and a' that,
The man of independent mind, he looks and laughs at a' that.
A prince can make a belted knight, a marquis, duke and a' that,
But an honest man's aboon his might, guid faith, he maunna fa' that!
For a' that and a' that, their dignities and a' that,
The pith o' sense and pride o' worth are higher rank than a' that.
Then let us pray that come it may, as come it will for a' that,
That sense o' worth o'er a' the earth shall bear the fight for a' that.
For a' that and a' that, it's comin' yet for a' that,
That man to man the world o'er shall brothers be for a' that.
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Glossary
a': all
aboon: above
birkie: smart or conceited person
cuif: fool
gie: give
gowd: gold
hodden gray: homespun wool of natural color
maunna fa' that: must not be able to claim that
o': of
o'er: over
ribband: ribboned
pith: strength
sae: so
tinsel: finery
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