Traditional Scottish Folk Music
Tunes and Songs with lyrics, chords, sheet music, and midis
Skye Boat Song |
TML # 009462 |
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| Click Play Speed | Slow 1/4=120 | Medium 1/4=150 | Fast 1/4=200 |
| Words by Sir Harold Boulton,1884. Music by Annie MacLeod. Charles Edward Stewart, the Young Pretender, was routed by the Duke of Cumberland on Culloden Moor in 1745. Aided by a Jacobite heroine, Flora MacDonald, Bonnie Prince Charlie escaped to the island of Skye in the inner Hebrides. He was finally taken by a French vessel to Morlaix on the coast of Bretagne. The first half of the tune is said to be an old sea shanty; the other half is traditionally attributed to Miss MacLeod. |
Speed bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing, Onward, the sailors cry Carry the lad that's born to be king Over the sea to skye Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar, Thunder clouds rend the air; Baffled our foe's stand on the shore Follow they will not dare Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep Ocean's a royal bed Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep Watch by your weary head |
Many's the lad fought on that day Well the claymore could wield When the night came, silently lay Dead on Culloden's field Burned are our homes, exile and death Scatter the loyal men Yet, e'er the sword cool in the sheath, Charlie will come again. |
| This royalty free score was generated by the Traditional Music Library On Line Tunebook (Shareware Version). As-is copies of this score may be freely distributed. Further info from WWW.TRADITIONALMUSIC.CO.UK |