Traditional Scottish Songs
- Charlie is my Darling

Prince Charles Edward Stewart, the young Chevalier or Young Pretender, raised his standard at Glenfinnan, at the start of the '45 Jacobite Uprising on August 19, 1745. The campaign lasted through the winter and although his army reached as far as Derby, by early in 1746 he was back in Scotland and was finally defeated at Culloden Moor on April 16, 1746.

This well-known song about those times attributed to both James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, who lived from 1770 to 1835 and Carolina Oliphant (Lady Nairnie) who lived from 1766-1845. As both these writers took traditional works and improved them, it may that neither of them wrote the original. There is yet another version by Charles Gray (1782 - 1851).


Charlie is My Darling

Twas on a Monday morning,
Right early in the year,
When Charlie came to our town
The Young Chevalier.

Chorus
Charlie is my darling, my darling, my darling.
Charlie is my darling, the young Chevalier.

As he cam' marchin' up the street,
The pipes played loud and clear.
And a' the folk cam' rinnin' out
To meet the Chevalier.

Chorus

Wi' highland bonnets on their heads
And claymores bright and clear,
They cam' to fight for Scotland's right
And the young Chevalier.

Chorus

They've left their bonnie highland hills,
Their wives and bairnies dear,
To draw the sword for Scotland's lord,
The young Chevalier.

Chorus

Oh, there were many beating hearts,
And mony a hope and fear,
And mony were the pray'rs put up,
For the young Chevalier.

Chorus

Meaning of unusual words:
Chevalier=a French order of knighthood
bairnies=children

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