Graham Irwin - Cam Ye O'er Frae France - with lyrics and a translation in the description

Описание: Graham Irwin sings Cam Ye O'er Frae France accompanied on 12-string electro-acoustic guitar and handpan.

A witty and sharply satirical Jacobite song ridiculing King George I (George Louis) and his entourage. The song would have been written in about 1715, before the Jacobite rising. Disliked throughout Britain, George I was especially hated by the Catholic Jacobites. The words of the song convey a real sense of anger.

He had divorced and imprisoned his wife, Sophia Dorothea of Celle, before he came to the British throne.

The words are somewhat difficult to understand being in Scottish dialect and with so many insinuations. A translation/explanation is given after the lyrics themselves.

From The Jacobite Relics of Scotland by James Hogg.

LYRICS:

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

Geordie, he's a man, there is little doubt o't;
He's done a' he can, wha can dae wi'oot it?
Doun there cam a blade, linkin like my lordie;
He wad drive a trade, at the loom o' Geordie.

Though the claith were bad, blythly may we niffer;
Gin we get a wab, it mak's little differ.
We hae tint our plaid, bannet, 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 belyve, belted, brisk and lordly;
Brawly may they thrive, tae dance a jig wi' Geordie!

Hey for Sandy Don! Hey for Cockolorum!
Hey for Bobbing John, and his Hieland quorum.
Mony a sword and lance, swings at Hieland hurdie;
How they'll skip and dance, o'er the bum o' Geordie!

(Repeat first verse)

Translation/explanation:

Did you come over from France? Did you come by London? Did you see King George I and his mistress/whore? Were you at the place they call the brothel? (St James's Palace - a kittle hoosie is Scots slang for a brothel). Did you see His Grace riding his mistress? (Melusine von der Schulenburg, later Duchess of Kendal, who was known as the 'Goose').

George is a man, there's little doubt about it. He's done all he can (having sex with his wife); who can do without it? There came an attractive young man, striding like the king (Count Königsmarck came to be her lover). He would drive a trade at King George's loom. (He would fornicate with the king's former wife - loom being a metaphor for female sexual organs).

Though the cloth was bad (the fruit of the king's former wife's loom – George Augustus, Prince of Wales – was reputedly illegitimate), happily we can barter. If we get a length of cloth, it will make little difference. We have lost our plaid, hats, belts, and swords, Our houses and farmlands; but we have a George! (Either way we get a George – the current king or his son).

James III (the rightful king according to the Jacobites) has gone to France with his mother, Mary of Modena. (Montgomery was an alias for Sidney, Earl of Godolphin, Mary's chamberlain). There they'll learn to make war; Madam, are you ready? They'll be back soon, belted, ready and dignified; Well may they thrive, ready to fight King George.

Hey for General Alexander Gordon of Auchintool (Sandy being a diminutive for Alexander, Don a diminutive for Gordon). Hey for Alexander Gordon, Marquis of Huntly (later the 2nd Duke of Gordon - a cockalorum, or self-important little man). Hey for John Erskin, Earl of Mar, (known as Bobbing John because of the number of times he swapped sides) and his gathering of Highlanders. Many a sword and lance swings at the Highland soldiers (hurdie literally means buttocks); How they'll skip and dance over the bum of George!

Compiled from several sources, including notes by Isabel Northwode, Wikipedia, Mainly Norfolk and Terre Celtiche Blog.