Chorus
Freedom from oppression, liberation
It’s a gude cause, working for equality
It’s a gude cause, women, sound your voice
- Marching in violet, white and green
A pageant of creative conviction
For the women old and young
For the women yet unborn
For us all to rise and take our rightful place
Chorus
- Better to do than wish it done,
For we cannae afford to sit and blether,
Never feart to break the law,
Scottish outrages galore,
There’s no prison can deter the Scottish women
Chorus
- What’s gude for John is gude for Janet
We were both born equal on this earth
Gude enough to cook the tea
With the bairns upon her knee
Gude enough to take decisions on our futures
Chorus
- Ye maunna tramp on the Scottish thistle,
The flower’s bright the stem is thorny,
And the power of her song
Will be rising ever strong,
For there’s nothing that can crush her strength and spirit
Chorus
- A gude cause maks a strong arm,
When wisdom and passion come together,
For we’ve justice in our feet
As we march down Princes street,
Men and women shall be equal in this land
Chorus
Note:
This song was written for the Gude Cause procession in 2009, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1909 women’s suffrage march in Edinburgh. The first lines of verses 2 to 5 are the words from banners carried on the 1909 march.