Will Ye No Come Back Again, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, is a Scots poem written by Carolina Oliphant (Lady Nairne), being set to a Scots folk tune. The song depicts the Jacobite Rising of 1745, in which the Catholic pretender to the throne, Prince Charles Edward Stuart, sought to regain the British throne for his father, King James Francis Edward Stuart. Although noble and heroic, the uprising was unsuccessful, and the British established a bounty for Charles' capture. Charles was forced to flee to France, and later
went to Rome, where he died.
The song is a lament of Charles' failure and Britain's subequent descent into the mires of Protestantism, yet it expresses a noble and hopeful longing for a Catholic future, in which the
Only True Faith will reign over the British Isles.
We provide two interpretations of Will Ye No Come Back Again: The first is a rendition with voice and guitar by Alastair McDonald, preceded by a brief explanation of the song by McDonald. The second is a stirring solo rendition by famous Scottish folk singer Jean Redpath.
Listen Will Ye No Come Back Again, by Alistair McDonald
Listen to Will Ye No Come Back Again, by Jean Redpath
Scots Lyrics:
Verses
1. Bonnie Charlie's noo awa,
Safely o'er the friendly main,
Mony a heart would break in twa,
Should he ne'er come back again.
Refrain
Will ye no' come back again?
Will ye no' come back again?
Better lo'ed ye canna be.
Will ye no' come back again?
2. Ye trusted in your Hielan' men.
They trusted you, dear Charlie.
They kent your hiding in the glen.
Death or exile braving.
(Refrain)
3. English bribes were a' in vain,
Tho' puir, and puirer, we maurn be.
Siller canna buy the heart,
That beats aye for thine and thee.
(Refrain)
4. We watch'd thee in the gloamin' hour.
We watch'd thee in the mornin' grey.
Tho' thirty thousand pound they’d gie.
Oh, there is nane that would betray!
(Refrain)
5. Sweet the laverock's note an lang,
Liltin wildly up the glen;
Aye tae me he sings a sang,
"Will ye no come back again?"
(Refrain)
English Lyrics
Verses
1. Handsome Charlie is now away,
Safely over the friendly main [mainland],
Many a heart would break in two,
Should he never come back again.
Refrain
Will you not come back again?
Will you not come back again?
You cannot be more loved.
Will you not come back again?
2. You trusted in your Highland men.
They trusted you dear Charlie.
They knew you were hiding in the valley.
Death and exile you were facing.
(Refrain)
3. English bribes were all in vain,
Though poor, and poorer, we might be.
Money cannot buy the heart [loyalty].
Yes that beats for you and yours.
(Refrain)
4. We watched you in the twilight [dusk] hour.
We watched you in the morning grey [pre-dawn].
Though 30,000 pounds [reward] they'd give.
Oh, there is none at all who would betray [him]!
(Refrain)
5. Sweet and long is the lark's song,
Sounding wildly up the valley;
Always to me he sings a song,
"Will you not come back again?"
(Refrain)
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