Scotland, You are Holier than thou

 

back in the 1690s

we used to burn witches,

half a dozen children

from Paisley Cross

strangled and burnt

for dancing around

after dark on the braes

 

these were our ways

holy ways, holier than thou

 

back in the 1720s

people were gaoled

for putting on plays

ah, theatre

that thief of priestly magic

and fully immoral displays

 

these were our ways

holy ways, holier than thou

 

back in the 1820s

for resisting

industrial tyranny

hundreds were gaoled,

for putting the many

before the few

and placing reason

above royal religion

some were murdered

and others betrayed

 

these were our ways

our holy ways, holier than thou

 

and now it is time

to pick on the feckless

drug addicts, drunks and the sick

to make an example

of daft young men,

of the poor

of the mad

and the weak,

blame the blacks

blame the fans

blame the unemployed

and the queers

for society’s falling to bits