[Intro – Lone Scottish bagpipe melody, distant artillery] [Verse 1] June the sixth, the morning grey The landing craft were on their way Across the waves, through smoke and flame A Scottish piper came to fame The shoreline burned, the bullets flew The sea turned dark beneath the blue While soldiers fell and cannons cried He played his pipes with fearless pride [Pre-Chorus] Through fire and steel, through death and pain A Highland tune rose once again No rifle raised, no sword held high Just Scotland’s song beneath the sky! [Chorus] The Mad Piper! Marching through the fire! Through the smoke and screaming guns! The Mad Piper! Playing ever higher! While the bravest turn and run! Let the cannons roar like thunder! Let the bullets fill the sky! On the shores of Normandy, The pipes will never die! [Verse 2] Lord Lovat gave the word to play And Millin marched into the fray With kilt and pipes upon the sand He played for those who made their stand The Germans watched in disbelief A lone Scotsman beyond belief They called him mad, they called him insane Yet still his music crossed the plain [Pre-Chorus] Through fire and steel, through death and pain A Highland tune rose once again No rifle raised, no sword held high Just Scotland’s song beneath the sky! [Chorus] The Mad Piper! Marching through the fire! Through the smoke and screaming guns! The Mad Piper! Playing ever higher! While the bravest turn and run! Let the cannons roar like thunder! Let the bullets fill the sky! On the shores of Normandy, The pipes will never die! [Instrumental – Bagpipe and Twin Guitar Duel] [Bridge – Half-time, marching drums] No weapon in his hands that day No fear could drive his song away A thousand guns, a burning shore But still the Highland pipes would roar [Spoken – commanding voice] “They thought he must be mad…” [Full band attack] BUT STILL THE PIPER PLAYED! [Final Chorus – Full Power] The Mad Piper! Marching through the fire! Through the smoke and screaming guns! The Mad Piper! Playing ever higher! While the bravest turn and run! Let the cannons roar like thunder! Let the bullets fill the sky! On the shores of Normandy, The pipes will never die! [Outro – Bagpipes over fading guitars] The Mad Piper… On Normandy’s burning shore… His song lives on forevermore… [Final lone bagpipe melody]
