Carolina Oliphant’s “Will ye no come back again?” is a sad Jacobite song that was written in the early 19th century. It was written by Perthshire-born Carolina Oliphant, who is also known as Lady Nairne. The song is also known as “Bonnie Charlie” and “Bonnie Prince Charlie.” Like many other songs, it discusses the aftermath of the Jacobite Rising and the Battle of Culloden.
Lady Nairne came from a Jacobite family. She was a
songwriter, but also collected Scottish songs. Bonnie Prince Charlie stopped at
the Nairne house on September 4, 1745, on his way to Edinburgh. Lady Nairne’s father
was exiled the next year, but the family held onto objects that were given to them
by Prince Charles.
The song was written after Bonnie Prince Charlie’s escape in 1745 after the Jacobite Rising and the Battle of Culloden. The Highland Scots protected him during the battle and hoped he would someday return. Bonnie Prince Charlie fled to France with the help of Flor McDonald.
Bonnie Prince Charlie, who was born in 1720 and died in
1788, was the second Jacobite “heir” to the thrones of Scotland, England, and
Ireland. He is famous for instigating the Jacobite Rising in 1745, which was
ultimately unsuccessful.
During the Jacobite Rising, Catholic Prince Charles Edward
Stuart attempted to regain the British throne for King James Francis Edward
Stuart, his father. A bounty was set for Bonnie Prince Charlie’s capture, and
he was forced to flee to France.
The song started as a poem by Carolina Oliphant and set to a
traditional
Scots folk tune. It laments both Bonnie Prince Charlie’s failure as well as
Britain’s “descent” into Protestantism. This song remains hopeful for Charlie’s
return as well as a Catholic future for the British throne.
Through the years, the song has been covered by several
Scottish and Celtic musicians. Alastair McDonald’s renditions feature vocals
and guitar. Scottish folk singer Jean Redpath’s solo version is known for being
stirring and emotional.
Like “Auld Lang Syne,” the song, its melody in particular,
is often used as a farewell or parting song. When it is sung in this manner, it
is done without any sort of political affiliation, Jacobite or otherwise.
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