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My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean is variously described as a Sea shanty or a traditional Scottish folk song. It almost certainly has its origins in the history of Scotland. And it is linked with Charles Edward Stuart; also called 'Young Chevalier', or more popularly known as 'Bonnie Prince Charlie'; and his companion Flora Macdonald¹.

The story of 'Bonnie Prince Charlie' is, we recognize, well known to everyone. So we won't dwell on it for too long. As you are aware Charles Edward Louis Philip Casimir Stuart (the Young Pretender - a claimant of the English throne) was exiled with his family in France.  You may also remember he was the grandson of the exiled Roman Catholic Stuart monarch: James II. His father was James Edward, who affected in exile the title 'King James III'. 

'Bonnie Prince Charlie' (born 31 December 1720 in Rome) was reared a Catholic and trained in the arts of war. Exasperated by his father's caution and the lack of French aid he returned to west Scotland with a small group of loyal supporters in the 1740s. Gathering support he led an uprising of the Highland chiefs and 2,400 men (the Jacobite Rebellion) against the Georgian English in Edinburgh. The successful young Prince (he was 25 at the time) then raised an army of 5,500 and attacked the English on their own soil.

His army got as far south as Derby before lack of support, dissent, and the threat of an opposing English army of 30,000 drove him back to Scotland. The ladies loved him and the men admired his courage and daring. Many songs were sung in his honour. But here he encountered more organised opposition in Edinburgh and retreated to the Highlands. His forces were eventually annihilated by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, at the very bloody Battle of Culloden Moor on 16 April 1746. (No prisoners were taken, and the Scots lost many of their liberties and rights. The sound of bagpipes was forbidden. But not for long!)

He was one of the few who escaped with their lives. Bonnie Prince Charlie survived for some time in hiding. However, eventually, disguised as Betty Burke an Irish spinning maid of his friend and Jacobite supporter Flora Macdonald, he was borne away in a ship to Skye (Invoking 'The Skye Boat Song'!). From there he left Flora and her supporters and escaped to Europe; but through scandalous behaviour sadly sank into disrepute. (He died in Rome on 31 January 1788.) Thus ended the last battle on Scottish soil. But his legendary early activities live on; the famous stories of heroism, human folly and love resonating around the world to this day. And thus began the start of our (and many other) song(s)! End of history lesson!

Another very interesting 'fact' unearthed by the MusicSmiles team was: A singer called Tony Sheridan famously arranged and recorded 'My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean' in 1961 with musical backing by a little known beat combo from Liverpool known as the 'Beat Brothers'. Later the group became world famous as - yes, you've guessed it - The Beatles. Wow! There's food for contemplation.

There are also of course numerous parody versions of the song but we'll leave you to discover these for yourselves!

A couple of technical details: The interval between the first two notes of the song is a Major 6th, which isn't exactly commonplace. And the tune has a very persistent 3/4 beat giving it a strong waltz rhythm. Good for dancing. The key of our arrangement is B flat major; and it is marked 'In moderate time, smoothly'. But enough about technicalities (interesting as they are). We hope you will enjoy singing along with the MusicSmiles arrangement of this very famous sea shanty (Scottish folk song). Go on! Be a Flora Macdonald. OR maybe a Beatle!

My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
(4 bars Intro)

(Solo) My bonnie lies over the ocean,
My bonnie lies over the sea,
My bonnie lies over the ocean,
O bring back my bonnie to me.

(Chorus) Bring back, bring back,
O bring back my bonnie to me, to me.
Bring back, bring back,
O bring back my bonnie to me.

(Solo) O blow ye winds over the ocean,
O blow ye winds over the sea,
O blow ye winds over the ocean,
And bring back my bonnie to me.

(Chorus) Bring back, bring back,
O bring back my bonnie to me, to me.
Bring back, bring back,
O bring back my bonnie to me.

(Solo) Last night as I lay on my pillow,
Last night as I lay on my bed,
Last night as I lay on my pillow,
I dreamed that my bonnie was dead.

(Chorus) Bring back, bring back,
O bring back my bonnie to me, to me.
Bring back, bring back,
O bring back my bonnie to me.

(Solo) The winds have blown over the ocean,
The winds have blown over the sea,
The winds have blown over the ocean,
And brought back my bonnie to me.

(Chorus) Brought back, brought back,
And brought back my bonnie to me, to me.
Brought back, brought back,
And brought back my bonnie to me.

Footnote 1.  Flora Macdonald was born in 1722 in Milton, South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, on 5 March 1790. The daughter of a Milton farmer (or tacksman), she was destined to become a Scottish celebrity who helped the Young Pretender Charles Edward Stuart to escape after the Scottish defeat at the battle of Culloden in April 1746. Flora was imprisoned in the Tower of London, but was pardoned and married Allan Macdonald of Kingsburgh. They emigrated to North Carolina in America. After a skirmish in the Revolutionary War she returned to Scotland in 1779 and was later joined by her husband. She soon became (and remains) immortalised in Jacobite ballads and legends. And a statue of her stands in Inverness. (Return to Story).

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