3740. We Are the Billy Boys (Traditional Scottish)

This loyalist song, sung to the tune of "Marching Through Georgia", originated in the 1920s as the signature tune of the Brigton Boys, also called The Billy Boys of Brigton Cross, who were a Protestant street gang in Bridgeton, an area of Glasgow historically associated with the city’s Protestant population, and with Scottish unionism. The gang often clashed with Roman Catholic gangs. They were led by Billy Fullerton, a member of the British Fascists who was awarded a medal for strike-breaking during the 1926 General Strike and formed a Glasgow branch of the British Union of Fascists with the onset of World War II. The gang regularly sang this song when they marched through Catholic areas of Glasgow on Catholic holy days. In the 1930s the Brigton Boys were invited to march in Belfast and sang the song while they took part in the Twelfth celebrations.
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, they attended Rangers football matches and Rangers fans started to sing the song.
Concerned at the wave of violence, authorities appointed a policeman named Percy Sillitoe as the new Chief Constable of Glasgow. He assembled his own gang of tough policemen and started combating the thugs on their own territory. One evening he received a message that the Billy Boys were on the march - very drunk - and that their leader was carrying a baby girl in his arms. Sillitoe formed a blockade with his men, then, believing the child to be in danger, led the charge to snatch her from the thug’s arms. The Boys were routed and their ringleaders were ultimately jailed.
Despite Sillitoe eradicating the Glasgow razor gangs, Rangers fans continued to sing “We Are the Billy Boys” in tribute to Fullerton, who still retained a prominent position among Glasgow Protestants even after the gangs had disbanded.
This song was requested by ollie cromwell.
Lyrics and chords:
E ……...………..….......... A …….......…… E
Hurrah! Hurrah! We are the Billy Boys;
……………………............…..... B7
Hurrah! Hurrah! You’ll know us by our noise;
…... E …………..........…… A …………........….... E
Up tae yer knees in Fenian blood - surrender or ye'll die.
B7 ……………...…............……... E
We are the Glasgow Billy Boys.
We belong to Glasgow; we're Orange and we're true.
Scotland is our country, our colours white and blue.
We're Protestants and proud of it; we're known from near and far.
Glasgow Billy Boys they call us.
On the 12th day of July you'll find us in the walk
With our brother Orangemen, Sandy, Bill and Jock.
Billy is our hero, he beat them at the Boyne.
Glasgow Billy boys they call us.
We believe in Freedom; we won our right that day,
At the Battle of the Boyne - we're very proud to say.
James he was defeated - Justice had been done.
Raise now a glass to King William.
You can see a playlist of my Orange songs here:
• Orange Songs
Lyrics and chords of many of my songs are no longer available, as my website has expired. I am currently posting lyrics to the information panels on all my videos and those that are too long to post in full will be found on my new website: raymondsfolkpa...

[@karlosdergal]

Incredible!!! Well done!!! Have a nice weekend!

[@raymondcrooke]

Thank you. I'm glad you liked it.

[@Votebritish]

Absolutely wonderful rendition.
My grandfather was a Billy Boy and carried Pearl Buttons ,a cut throat razor.
No nonsense ,tober them up.

[@raymondcrooke]

Thank you for listening.

[@Votebritish]

@@raymondcrooke A little nostalgic.
Did you know that the grandson of thee Billy Boy lives in Glasgow?
Peaky Blinders( TV drama) highlighted this folk song,words slightly changed though.

[@VinDrizzle]

My grandfather sung that the same way. Good to hear it again thank you

[@raymondcrooke]

You're most welcome.

[@Votebritish]

God bless his living memory.
Just like my ain grandfaither

[@stevenkim4163]

Well singing sir deserve applaud
i'm impressed
,from South Korea

[@raymondcrooke]

Thank you. I enjoyed visiting South Korea very much.

[@nolmanimates3031]

South Korea also has an amazing version of this melody

[@Michajeru]

Love your singing mate!

[@raymondcrooke]

Thank you for listening.

[@underrateddude368]

I'ver never heard this song before...well, I'm not not a protestant:). Sounds really nice....there are always two sides to every story.
Nicely done, Raymond!

[@raymondcrooke]

I hadn't heard it either until I got a request for it.

[@micoolkidfilms3270]

It’s just a bit of banter we’re sectarian too 😂

[@ready260]

Class

[@raymondcrooke]

Thank you.

[@unkownsolider1961]

Excellent Raymond, look up a song called "the bloody road to the Somme" I think you'd be excellent with this 😊

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks. I'll check it out.

[@ArjunPrabhakar-cc9hm]

So good!

[@raymondcrooke]

Thank you.

[@TristanMorrow2002]

good stuff

[@raymondcrooke]

Thank you.

[@Angelcynn-x9m]

Are you still making the Irish Unionist Party?

[@秘密の花園-u6l]

great! from japan

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks for listening.

[@paleface4404]

My kids march through the house singing this Love it my Daddy was Billy my Granda was William his dad was William my brother is Liam pregnant now and if it's a boy he's gonna be a William.

[@raymondcrooke]

Looks like you really are the Billy boys!

[@TingTingalingy]

Fascista

[@rfc1872-g3w]

Top Class 👌

[@raymondcrooke]

Thank you.

[@iainmacpherson9295]

BRILLIANT

[@raymondcrooke]

Thank you.

[@iainmacpherson9295]

LOVE IT

[@raymondcrooke]

I'm glad you liked it.

[@kitsonMcgee]

RIP
JIMMY BELL 😢

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks for visiting.

[@raydavies4160]

Often the song is also done to the tune of Marching Through Georgia. Good job friend

[@raymondcrooke]

Thank you for listening.

[@iainmacpherson9295]

I will vote for you tremendous

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks.

[@nedludd7622]

A recent feed reminded me of another usually solo singer I greatly appreciate. He has a guitar and a different style than yours and I think you will like it. He is Roy Zimmerman and has a lot of his own mostly funny songs on recent events.

[@raymondcrooke]

I am a big fan of Roy Zimmerman. He writes a lot of great satirical songs.

[@hididdleydee6804]

👏👏👏👏🇬🇧👌

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks for listening.

[@christannock2027]

NO SURRENDER WATP GSTQ FTP FGAU 🔴⚪️🔵🇬🇧🐻🇬🇧

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks for listening.

[@christannock2027]

Yeah really enjoyed it mate

[@matthewlaverty202]

You should do You'll never walk alone!

[@raymondcrooke]

I do sing it with the Welsh choir, but I could possibly try it as a solo.

[@willfoster2635]

Top tune GSTK

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks for listening.

[@angelacowan928]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks for listening.

[@onlyfourhomenations]

@@raymondcrooke love it ♥️🤍💙👌👍

[@Votebritish]

All Union Bears learn the words 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks for listening.

[@kitten-whisperer]

I blame you for bonnie.

[@Jack-je6ip]

Rangersssss

[@raymondcrooke]

Okay.

[@Jack-je6ip]

@@raymondcrooke sir you have an amazing voice God bless you ❤️

[@pintoffanta2510]

sounds like marching through Georgia

[@raymondcrooke]

Yes. It was written to that tune.

[@stephenturner6075]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
WE ARE THE PEOPLE 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇬🇧

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks for listening.

[@stephenturner6075]

@@raymondcrooke 👍

[@lochamb1234]

Brilliant...my son is in a flute band here in ulster. A true "kick the pope" band and this is a band favourite along with suicide battalion. #loyalulster

[@raymondcrooke]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@kristinejames9812]

Do you know Raymond that quite often when I read your intro to a song I think I don't know it but as soon as you start to sing I realise that I do! This is one of those instances! Please may I request a couple of childish songs,if you've not already covered them. Puff the Magic Dragon and I'm in Love with A Big Blue Frog (both by Peter,Paul and Mary).🙃🙃

[@raymondcrooke]

You can see Puff here: th-cam.com/video/kpENxnBJlhw/w-d-xo.html
I'll put the Blue Frog on my list of requests.

[@kristinejames9812]

OH ta for that Raymond!! I went to Butlins many moons ago and this lovely Redcoat,with her guitar sang I'm in love with a big blue frog to us kiddies!!🙃🙃😏

[@kristinejames9812]

Thankyou Raymond.I've only just seen your message!🙃🙃

[@jamiedeanraineycorbett5276]

Sash my father wore

[@raymondcrooke]

That's this one - th-cam.com/video/66kAhM2TleU/w-d-xo.html

[@daviewales]

Brigton

[@raymondcrooke]

Yes.

[@daviewales]

@@raymondcrooke sing it then lol

[@taliawtf6944]

Isn't singing this song a literal hate crime in the UK? lol

[@raymondcrooke]

I don't know. I'm not in the UK.

[@taliawtf6944]

@@raymondcrooke Happy to hear that. lol

[@baddow1654]

@@raymondcrooke casually ringing racist songs

[@rustybayonette6641]

@@baddow1654 have a sook mate

[@halidehelux5221]

The song isn't racist.....Irish and Scots and English are the same race of people ,they are different ethnicities.

[@williamward9578]

Nah I'm Irish up the RA

[@raymondcrooke]

Thanks for listening.

[@williamward9578]

@@raymondcrooke good singing

[@Votebritish]

Is that Sinn Fein? They are selling out their own folk ,just like before they and the IRA are scumbags.

[@willfoster2635]

F#@k the Ra