Bonnie George Campbell - Misplaced Pages

Traditional song

Bonnie James Campbell or Bonnie George Campbell is Child ballad 210 (Roud 338). The ballad tells of a man who has gone off to fight, but only his horse returns. The name differs across variants. Several names have been suggested as the inspiration of the ballad: Archibald or James Campbell, in the Battle of Glenlivet, or Sir John Campbell of Calder, who was murdered.

Synopsis

Bonnie James (or George) Campbell rides out one day. His horse returns, but he does not. His bride comes out, grieving, that the fields are still growing the harvest but he will never return. In some variants, his mother or sisters also come out when his horse returns. In one of the variants, Campbell laments that "my babe is unborn".

Lyrics

High upon Highlands,

and laigh upon Tay.

Bonnie George Campbell

rode out on a day.

He saddled, he bridled,

and gallant rode he.

And hame cam his guid horse,

but never cam he.

Out cam his mother dear,

greeting fu sair.

Out cam his bonnie bryde,

riving her hair.

"The meadow lies green,

and the corn is unshorn.

But Bonnie George Campbell

will never return."

Saddled and bridled

and booted rode he,

A plume in his helmet,

a sword at his knee.

But toom cam his saddle

all bloody to see.

Oh, hame cam his guid horse,

but never cam he.

Notable Performances

Billy Connolly performs the song on an autoharp in the film, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.

References

"Vaughan Williams Memorial Library Roud 338 entry".
"Bonnie George Campbell". Retrieved 11 February 2012.
Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll fought in the 1594 Battle of Glenlivet, though he died in 1638.
"Child's Ballads/210". Retrieved 11 February 2012.
"Child's Ballads/210". Retrieved 19 July 2017.

External links

v t e Francis James Child
The Child Ballads	Sir Aldingar Alison and Willie Allison Gross Andrew Lammie Archie o Cawfield Kinmont Willie Auld Matrons Babylon The Baffled Knight The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington Barbara Allen The Battle of Otterburn The Beggar-Laddie Adam Bell The Bent Sae Brown Bessy Bell and Mary Gray Blancheflour and Jollyflorice The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Bonnie Annie The Bonnie Earl O' Moray Bonnie George Campbell Bonny Baby Livingston Bonny Bee Hom The Bonny Birdy The Bonny Hind The Bonnie House of Airlie The Bonny Lass of Anglesey Bonny Lizie Baillie The Boy and the Mantle Broom of the Cowdenknowes The Broomfield Hill Broughty Wa's Brown Adam The Brown Girl Brown Robin Brown Robyn's Confession Burd Ellen and Young Tamlane Burd Isabel and Earl Patrick Captain Ward and the Rainbow Captain Wedderburn's Courtship The Carnal and the Crane The Cherry-Tree Carol The Ballad of Chevy Chase Child Maurice Child Owlet Child Waters Christopher White Clerk Colvill Clerk Saunders The Clerk's Twa Sons o Owsenford The Crafty Farmer Crow and Pie The Cruel Brother The Cruel Mother The Daemon Lover The Death of Parcy Reed The Death of Queen Jane Dick o the Cow Dives and Lazarus The Dowie Dens o Yarrow Dugall Quin The Duke of Athole's Nurse The Duke of Gordon's Daughter Earl Brand Earl Crawford The Earl of Errol The Earl of Mar's Daughter Earl Rothes Edom o Gordon Edward The Elfin Knight Eppie Morrie Erlinton Fair Annie The Fair Flower of Northumberland Fair Janet Fair Margaret and Sweet William Fair Mary of Wallington The False Lover Won Back The Famous Flower of Serving-Men The Farmer's Curst Wife Fause Foodrage The Fause Knight Upon the Road The Friar in the Well The Gardener The Gay Goshawk Geordie The George Aloe and the Sweepstake A Gest of Robyn Hode Get Up and Bar the Door Gil Brenton Glasgerion Glasgow Peggie Glenlogie The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry The Grey Cock Gude Wallace The Raggle Taggle Gypsy Battle of Harlaw The Heir of Linne Hind Etin Hind Horn Hobie Noble Hughie Graham James Hatley Jamie Douglas Jellon Grame Jock o' the Side Jock the Leg and the Merry Merchant John Dory John of Hazelgreen Johnie Cock Johnie Scot Johnnie Armstrong The Jolly Beggar The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield Judas Katharine Jaffray The Keach i the Creel Kemp Owyne Kempy Kay King Arthur and King Cornwall King Edward the Fourth and a Tanner of Tamworth King Estmere King Henry King Henry Fifth's Conquest of France King John and the Bishop The King's Disguise, and Friendship with Robin Hood The King's Dochter Lady Jean Lang Johnny More The Kitchie-Boy The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter The Knight's Ghost The Knoxville Girl The Lads of Wamphray Lady Alice Lady Diamond Lady Elspat Lady Isabel Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight Lady Maisry The Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea The Laird o Drum The Laird o Logie Lamkin The Lass of Roch Royal Leesome Brand Sir Lionel Little John a Begging Lizie Lindsay Lizie Wan The Lochmaben Harper Lord Ingram and Chiel Wyet Lord Lovel Lord Maxwell's Last Goodnight The Lord of Lorn and the False Steward Lord Randall Lord Saltoun and Auchanachie Lord Thomas and Fair Annet Lord Thomas and Lady Margaret Lord Thomas Stuart Lord William The Maid and the Palmer The Maid Freed from the Gallows The Marriage of Sir Gawain Mary Hamilton Matty Groves The Mermaid The Mother's Malison The New-Slain Knight The Noble Fisherman Northumberland Betrayed By Douglas Old Robin of Portingale Sir Orfeo Prince Heathen Prince Robert Proud Lady Margaret Queen Elanor's Confession The Queen of Elfan's Nourice The Queen of Scotland The Rantin Laddie Redesdale and Wise William Richie Story Riddles Wisely Expounded Robin Hood and Allan-a-Dale Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne Robin Hood and Little John Robin Hood and Maid Marian Robin Hood and Queen Katherine Robin Hood and the Beggar Robin Hood and the Bishop Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford Robin Hood and the Butcher Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow Robin Hood and the Monk Robin Hood and the Pedlars Robin Hood and the Potter Robin Hood and the Prince of Aragon Robin Hood and the Ranger Robin Hood and the Scotchman Robin Hood and the Shepherd Robin Hood and the Tanner Robin Hood and the Tinker Robin Hood and the Valiant Knight Robin Hood Newly Revived Robin Hood Rescuing Three Squires Robin Hood Rescuing Will Stutly Robin Hood's Birth, Breeding, Valor, and Marriage Robin Hood's Chase Robin Hood's Death Robin Hood's Delight Robin Hood's Golden Prize Robin Hood's Progress to Nottingham Robyn and Gandeleyn The Rose of England Rose the Red and White Lily Saint Stephen and Herod Sheath and Knife Sir Cawline Sir James the Rose Sir Patrick Spens The Suffolk Miracle The Sweet Trinity Sweet William's Ghost Tam Lin Thomas o Yonderdale Thomas the Rhymer The Three Ravens Tom Potts A True Tale of Robin Hood The Twa Brothers The Twa Magicians The Twa Sisters The Unquiet Grave Walter Lesly The Wee Wee Man The West Country Damosel's Complaint The White Fisher The Whummil Bore The Wife of Usher's Well The Wife Wrapt in Wether's Skin Will Stewart and John Willie and Earl Richard's Daughter Willie and Lady Maisry Willie o Douglas Dale Willie o Winsbury Willie's Fatal Visit Willie's Lady Willie's Lyke-Wake The Wylie Wife of the Hie Toun Hie Young Andrew Young Beichan Young Benjie The Young Earl of Essex's Victory over the Emperor of Germany Young Hunting Young Johnstone Young Peggy Young Ronald Young Waters
Operas	Il pesceballo
Related	List of the Child Ballads Percy Folio "The Crabfish"

This folk song–related article is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

Categories:

Synopsis

Lyrics

Notable Performances

See also

References

External links