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CAM' YE O'ER FRAE FRANCE
Traditional

Cam ye o'er frae France? Cam ye down by Lunnon?
Saw ye Geordie Whelps, and his bonny woman?
Were ye at the place, ca'd the Kittle Hoosie?
Saw ye Geordie's grace, riding on a goosie?

Geordie he's the man, there is little doubt o't;
He's done a' he can, wha can do without it?
Down there came a blade, linkin' like my lordie;
He wad drive a trade, at the loom o' Geordie.

Though the claith were bad, blithely may we niffer;
Gin we get a wab, it mak's little differ.
We hae lost our plaid, bonnet, belt and swordie,
Ha's and mailins braid, but we hae a Geordie!

Jocky's gane to France, and Montgomery's lady;
There they'll learn to dance; Madam, are ye ready?
They'll be back belive, belted, brisk and lordly;
Brawly may they thrive, tae dance a jig wi' Geordie!

Hey for Sandy Don! Hey for Cock-a-Lorum!
Hey for Bobbin' John, and his Hieland Quorum!
Mony's the sword and lance, swings at Highland hurdie;
How they'll skip and dance, o'er the bum o' Geordie!

Footnote : An almost incomprehensible Jacobite song using nicknames of the political characters of the time. The accession of Hanoverian George !, following the death of Queen Anne in 1714, was a godsend for Jacobite songwriters and his group of German gentlewomen provided them with much ribald material. As well as German Geordie, his favourite mistress also features in the song – the lean and haggard Madam Schulemberg, later Duchess of Kendal, who was known as ‘The Goose’ and is the goosie mentioned in the song. The to-be-leader of the 1715 Jacobite Rising also merits a mention – Bobbing John was John Erskine, Earl of Mar, who turned from being a supporter of the Incorporating Union of 1707 to become a Jacobite leader.

 

 


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