MY BONNIE LIES OVER THE OCEAN UKULELE TUTORIAL

With this My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean ukulele tutorial, you’ll learn an easy ukulele song for beginners. You’ll need just five simple chords namely G, C, A, D and D7. As for the strum pattern, you can use the standard all-down strum pattern. And soon, you will playing this song all on your own. Download the lyrics and chords sheet here before heading to the ukulele tutorial.

SCOTTISH FOLK TUNE

My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, or Bring Back My Bonnie to Me, is a catchy Scottish folk song that became popular in America and in other parts of the world. The precise origin of the song is not known. But the most prevalent premise is that Jacobite supporters composed the song for Bonnie Prince Charlie.

BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE

Bonnie Prince Charlie is Charles Edward Stuart, grandson of King James II and VIII who was the last Roman Catholic ruler of England, Ireland and Scotland. William III and Princess Mary, who is King James II and VIII own daughter ousted King James II and VIII in 1688. The ousted Stuart King fled and went into exile but planned on regaining his throne.

FAILED JACOBITE UPRISING

James Francis Edward, son of the deposed Stuart King and known as the Old Pretender, continued the pursuit of Stuarts return to the throne. His son, Charles Edward, continued with this pursuit with the support of their followers called the Jacobites.

Charles Edward led the final attempt at this plan through the 1745 Jacobite rebellion. This culminated in the bloody Battle of Culloden in April of 1746 where British government forces badly defeated Charles Edward’s troops. Charles Edward, aided by his supporters, managed to flee Scotland passing by the Isle of Skye to France.