I'd be cheating you if I took the rights to this,' said Wilson. Hanley took the completed song to Wilson who read it, gave him the agreed £25 then refused to let Hanley sign away the rights. The fee was £25 and Wilson was to get the copyright. Hanley was commissioned to write the song. ' Robert Wilson, who was at the time at the peak of his career, was looking for a new song for his stage show. Another story told regarding the lyric is told by Harry Burns: The words may be tongue-in-cheek-it has been said that that Hanly, a great humorist as well as an author, historian and broadcaster, tried to put as many cliches about Scotland into the lyric as possible!. Jack Campin believes it first appeared around the turn of the 20th century, with words later set to it in 1950 by Cliff Hanley (1923-99) for Robert Wilson, a performer who needed a finale for a Christmas Scottish review that was being performed at the Glasgow Empire Theatre. Tune used for a polka step in the North West (England) morris dance tradition, and a march in Scotland and Shetland.

AB (Wade): AA’B (Johnson): AABB (Brody): AA'BB (Reiner). AKA and see 'My Bonnie Lass(ie),' ' Brave Scotland,' ' Scotland Forever.' Scottish, March (2/4 time) English, Morris Dance Tune.

101 strings scotland the brave