cope sent a challenge from dunbar charlie meet me an ye dare and i ll teach you the art of war if you meet me in the morning whe charlie looked this letter upon he drew his sword his scabbard from said follow me my merry men we ll meet johnnie cope in the morning chorus hey johnnie cope are you waking yet are your drums a beating yet if you were waking i would wait to gang to the coals in the morning now johnnie be as good as your word come try your faith with fire and sword and don t flee away like a frightened bird that s chased from its nest in the morning when johnnie cope he heard of this he thought it would not be amiss to have a horse in readiness to flee away in the morning oh johnnie now get scamperin the highland bagpipes make a din it s best to sleep in your whole skin it ll be a bloody morning when johnnie cope to berwick came the asked of him where are your men the divil confound me gin i ken for i left them all in the morning 