Over the Sea to Skye

"Over the Sea to Skye" is a lovely Scottish tune about Charles Edward Stuart (also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Young Pretender to the English throne). Born in Rome, Prince Charlie tried to become King of England and Scotland when the English were at war with the French in 1743. He rallied some support for his cause but was defeated in the Scottish Battle of Culloden in 1746. Prince Charlie survived the battle. A young lady named Flora McDonald helped him escape by boat to the Island of Skye off the coast of Scotland. The story was put into words by Sir Harold Boulton in 1884 to be sung to this traditional Scottish tune.

The tune and the text seem to work very well together. For example, note how "Loud the winds blow" in the text matches the music. You can almost imagine them traveling by boat in this lilting melody. I have tried to arrange this so that the text is further exemplified in the dynamics and placement of the voices.

Always try to think about the story when you are singing it. Enjoy!

Click here to see a sample.

Click here to listen to a recording (MP3).