Skye boat song

Notes on selected settings

• arr. Adriano Secco SATB

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• Philip Le Bas — Skye Boat Song  English TTBB
• Caroline Lesemann-Elliott — Two scottish folksongs  English SATB
• Larry Minton — Skye Boat Song  English SA
• Jeremy Rawson — Skye Boat Song  English SATB
• Traditional — Skye boat song  English SATB
• Victor Wilburn — The Skye boat song  English BB

Texts and Translations

English text

R.  Speed bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing
“Onward”, the sailors cry,
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye.

1  Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar,
Thunder claps rend the air;
Baffled, our foes stand by the shore,
Follow they will not dare.
R.

2  Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep
Ocean's a royal bed;
Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep
Watch by your weary head.
R.

3  Many's the lad fought on that day
Well the claymore could wield;
When the night came, silently lay
Dead on Culloden's field.
R.

4  Burned are our homes; exile and death
Scatter the loyal men;
Yet, e'er the sword cool in the sheath
Charlie will come again.
R.