Traditional Scottish Songs
- Cam' ye by Athol?

The words of this song are by James Hogg, the Ettick Shepherd. Hogg wrote a number of Jacobite ballads such as this one. The tune to which it is sung was written by Neil Gow, Junior, son of Nathaniel Gow who composed over seventy tunes. Neil Gow, Jr. was Nathaniel's eldest son. He became a physician but then went to work for his father in his music publishing company. He died in 1823 at the age of twenty-eight.


Cam' ye by Athol?

Cam' ye by Athol, lad wi' the philabeg,
Down by the Tummel, or banks of the Garry?
Saw ye the lads, wi' their bonnets an' white cockades,
Leaving their mountains to follow Prince Charlie.

Chorus
Follow thee, follow thee, wha wadna follow thee?
Long has thou lov'd an' trusted us fairly!
Charlie, Charlie, wha wadna follow thee?
King o' the Highland hearts, bonnie Charlie.

I hae but ae son, my gallant young Donald;
But if I had ten, they should follow Glengarry;
Health to MacDonald and gallant Clan Ronald,
For these are the men that will die for their Charlie.

Chorus

I'll go to Lochiel, and Appin, and kneel to them;
Down by Lord Murray and Roy of Kildarlie;
Brave Mackintosh, he shall fly to the field wi' them;
These are the lads I can trust wi' my Charlie.

Chorus

Down by thro' the Lowlands, down wi' the whigamore,
Loyal true Highlanders, down wi' them rarely;
Ronald and Donald drive on wi' the braid claymore,
Over the necks o' the foes o' Prince Charlie.

Chorus

Meaning of unusual words:
philabeg=small kilt
white cockades=white rosette (the Jacobite symbol)
whigamore=Presbyterian

Return to the Index of Traditional Scottish Songs



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