Ibrox Disaster I Vow To Thee My Country

Ibrox Disaster

New Years Bells had been ringing,
All of Scotland was singing,
Sure the old year had died,
And the new one had been born.
As the news of disaster
From Ibrox came spreading,
The news that would cause
A whole nation to mourn

Two great goals had been scored,
In the last dying moments.
Jimmy Johnstone for Celtic,
And for Rangers’ Colin Stein.
Their supporters all cheered them,
With voices of thunder,
Not knowing what waited on staircase 13

66 people died there,
Some in flower of their manhood,
When the fences gave way
And the barriers they bent,
Seasoned Glasgow policemen with their faces all tearstained,
With brave efforts, endeavoured far worse to prevent.

All of Glasgow enjoined them,
For the first time in history.
In the Glasgow cathedral no Billy’s, no Dan’s
But the Old Firm united to pray for their victims,
Of a tragedy set in the memory of man.

New Year Bells had been ringing,
All of Scotland was singing,
Sure the old year had died,
And the new one had been born.
As the news of disaster
From Ibrox came spreading,
The news that would cause
A whole nation to mourn.

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I Vow To Thee My Country

I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love:
The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,
That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.

And there's another country, I've heard of long ago,
Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;
We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;
Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;
And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,
And her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace.

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