Deil's Awa Wi the Exciseman This song by Robert Burns says that excisemen, who collected taxes on alcohol, and chased smugglers, were bad people who deserved to be taken away by the Devil, and everyone would be so happy they would dance!
The deil cam' fiddlin' through the toon And he's danced awa' wi' th' exciseman And ilka wife cries \"auld mahoon\" And I wish ye luck wi' your prize man
Chorus:
The deil's awa', the deil's awa', the deil's awa' wi' th' exciseman He's danced awa', he's danced awa', he's danced awa' wi' th' exciseman
We'll mak' oor maut and we'll brew oor drink We'll sing and dance and rejoice man And many braw thanks tae the meikle black deil That danced awa' wi' th' exciseman
Chorus
There's threesome reels and there's fowersome reels And there's hornpipes and strathspeys man But aye the best dance ever cam' tae the land Was the deil's awa' wi' th' exciseman.