What's the Poem All About?
My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean is a very popular and old Scottish song. This song originated in the 18th century. It is theorised that the song refers to Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Stuart contender for the throne of Great Britain. After the Jacobite final battle of 1745 in Culloden and his exile, his followers would have sung the song in his honour.
The Battle of Culloden
Many famous bands and musicians have covered the song, including The Beatles, Ray Charles and Bing Crosby. While it was not initially intended for children, it was a very popular children's song at least in the early 20th century. The song was featured in an episode of Bugs Bunny (My Bunny Lies Over the Ocean) and Woody Woodpecker in the 1940s.
Bugs Bunny
Woody Woodpecker
My Bonnie Lyrics
My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
My Bonnie lies over the sea,
My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me.
Bring back, bring back.
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me. To me.
Bring back, bring back.
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me.
O blow ye winds over the ocean,
o blow ye winds over the sea.
O blow ye winds over the ocean
and bring back my Bonnie to me.
Bring back, bring back.
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me. To me.
Bring back, bring back.
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me.
Last night as I lay on my pillow.
Last night as I lay on my bed.
Last night as I lay on my pillow.
I dreamt that my Bonnie was dead.
Bring back, bring back.
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me. To me.
Bring back, bring back.
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me.
The winds have blown over the ocean.
The winds have blown over the sea.
The winds have blown over the ocean.
And brought back my Bonnie to me.
Bring back, bring back.
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me. To me.
Bring back, bring back.
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me.
My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean Lyrics
Solved Questions
1. What is 'My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean' about?
Ans: The song was probably inspired by the defeat of Charles Edward Stuart, or Bonnie Prince Charlie, at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. But, today, it is regarded as a love song in which someone pines for someone they care to return to.
2. Who is the speaker on 'My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean'?
Ans: The speaker is separated from his loved one. Or, perhaps someone (or a group) is mourning the loss of Bonnie Prince Charlie in the mid-1700s.
Learning by Doing
Kids Activity: Find Literary Devices!
Throughout the poem, there are some literary devices used. You have to find where the 'Alliteration' literary device is used in this poem. This will help you to understand this poem more deeply.
Hint: Alliteration occurs when the same consonant sound is used at the beginning of several words.
Summary
The poem uses those same few lines to describe how they have become separated from their "Bonnie" and how they want to be together again. It may refer to Bonnie Prince Charlie and date back to the mid-1700s or may have different origins. Either way, the lines are usually interpreted as romantic. The speaker is ready for this unspecified person and they need to get back as soon as possible.
FAQs on My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
1. Analyse Stanza one:
'My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
My Bonnie lies over the sea.
My Bonnie lies over the ocean.
So bring back my Bonnie to me.
Bring back, bring back.
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me. To me.
Bring back, bring back.
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me.
The same three lines are repeated in the first stanza of the song. They are: "My bony is over the sea," "My bony is over the sea," and "Then bring my bony back to me." They use the same ending sounds, and sometimes the same ending words. This makes for a perfect rhyme scheme that is easy enough to remember. Repetition is incredibly important here.
2. After reading the poem 'My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean', what do you think about the tone of this poem?
The tone is mournful and longing. The speaker needs their love or bonnie to get back to them and the repetitive claim that this is something that has been in the works for a long time.
3. Explain the structure and form of the poem.
"My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean" is a five-stanza nursery poem separated into a set of four lines, known as 'Quatrains'. These Quatrains follow a simple poetry plan of ABAB CDCD. Sometimes, the same end words and sounds are repeated between the verses. For example, "me" is used at least once in every verse. There are many other examples of precise rhyme in which similar words are used. The first and second stanzas use the "ocean" at the end of the odd-numbered lines.
