Ye Jacobites by Name
Encyclopedia
Ye Jacobites by Name is a traditional Scottish folk song which goes back to the Jacobite Risings in Scotland (1688–1746). While the original version simply attacked the Jacobites from a contemporaneous Whig point of view, Robert Burns
rewrote it in around 1791 to give a version with a more general, humanist
anti-war
outlook. This is the version that most people know today.
The song was published in James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum
of 1792 (no. 371) and in James Hogg
's Jacobite Reliques
of 1817 (no. 34). It also appears in a collection of Scottish Songs entitled Personal Choice by Ewan MacColl
. The tune is taken from "My Love's in Germany
" by Hector Macneill
.
Ye Jacobites by name, give an ear, give an ear,
Ye Jacobites by name, give an ear,
Ye Jacobites by name,
Your fautes I will proclaim,
Your doctrines I maun blame, you shall hear.
What is Right, and What is Wrang, by the law, by the law?
What is Right and what is Wrang by the law?
What is Right, and what is Wrang?
A short sword, and a lang,
A weak arm and a strang, for to draw.
What makes heroic strife, famed afar, famed afar?
What makes heroic strife famed afar?
What makes heroic strife?
To whet th' assassin's knife,
Or hunt a Parent's life, wi' bluidy war?
Then let your schemes alone, in the state, in the state,
Then let your schemes alone in the state.
Then let your schemes alone,
Adore the rising sun,
And leave a man undone, to his fate.
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
rewrote it in around 1791 to give a version with a more general, humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
anti-war
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...
outlook. This is the version that most people know today.
The song was published in James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum
Scots Musical Museum
The Scots Musical Museum was a major publication that had a pivotal role in the collecting and tradition of Music of Scotland. It was by no means the first collection of Scottish folk songs and music, but the six volumes, with 100 songs in each, collected more pieces, introduced new songs, and...
of 1792 (no. 371) and in James Hogg
James Hogg
James Hogg was a Scottish poet and novelist who wrote in both Scots and English.-Early life:James Hogg was born in a small farm near Ettrick, Scotland in 1770 and was baptized there on 9 December, his actual date of birth having never been recorded...
's Jacobite Reliques
Jacobite Reliques
Hogg's Jacobite Reliques is a collection of songs related to the Jacobite risings, compiled by James Hogg on commission from the Highland Society of London in 1817. Most of the songs in the collection are Jacobite, and a minority are Whig...
of 1817 (no. 34). It also appears in a collection of Scottish Songs entitled Personal Choice by Ewan MacColl
Ewan MacColl
Ewan MacColl was an English folk singer, songwriter, socialist, actor, poet, playwright, and record producer. He was married to theatre director Joan Littlewood, and later to American folksinger Peggy Seeger. He collaborated with Littlewood in the theatre and with Seeger in folk music...
. The tune is taken from "My Love's in Germany
My Love's in Germany
"My Love’s in Germany" is a poem written by Scottish poet Hector Macneill. It was first printed in 1794 and is the lament of a Scottish woman for her lover....
" by Hector Macneill
Hector Macneill
Hector Macneill was a Scottish poet born near Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland. Macneill had been the son of a poor army captain and went to work as a clerk in 1760 at the age of fourteen...
.
Robert Burns's version
This is the version in Johnson's, Hogg's and MacColl's collections:Ye Jacobites by name, give an ear, give an ear,
Ye Jacobites by name, give an ear,
Ye Jacobites by name,
Your fautes I will proclaim,
Your doctrines I maun blame, you shall hear.
What is Right, and What is Wrang, by the law, by the law?
What is Right and what is Wrang by the law?
What is Right, and what is Wrang?
A short sword, and a lang,
A weak arm and a strang, for to draw.
What makes heroic strife, famed afar, famed afar?
What makes heroic strife famed afar?
What makes heroic strife?
To whet th' assassin's knife,
Or hunt a Parent's life, wi' bluidy war?
Then let your schemes alone, in the state, in the state,
Then let your schemes alone in the state.
Then let your schemes alone,
Adore the rising sun,
And leave a man undone, to his fate.
Original lyrics
You Jacobites by Name, lend an ear, lend an ear, You Jacobites by Name, lend an ear; You Jacobites by Name, Your thoughts I will proclaim, Some says you are to blame for this Wear. With the Pope you covenant, as they say, as they say, With the Pope you covenant, as they say, With the Pope you covenant, And Letters there you sent, Which made your Prince present to array. Your Prince and Duke o'Perth, where they go, where they go, Your Prince and Duke o'Perth, where they go, Your Prince and Duke o'Perth, They're Cumb'rers o' the Earth, Causing great Hunger and Dearth where they go. He is the King of Reef, I'll declare, I'll declare, He is the King of Reef, I'll declare, He is the King of Reef, Of a Robber and o' Thief, To rest void of Relief when he's near. They marched thro' our Land cruelly, cruelly, They marched thro' our Land cruelly, They marched thro' our Land With a bloody thievish Band To Edinburgh then they wan Treachery. To Preston then they came, in a Rout, in a Rout, To Preston then they came, in a Rout; To Preston then they came, Brave Gard'ner murd'red then. A Traitor did command, as we doubt. To England then they went, as bold, as bold, To England then they went, as bold; To England then they went, And Carlisle they ta'en't, The Crown they fain would ha'en't, but behold. |
To London as they went, on the Way, on the Way, To London as they went, on the way, To London as they went, In a Trap did there present, No battle they will stent, for to die. They turned from that Place, and they ran, and they ran, They turned from that Place, and they ran; They turned from that Place As the Fox, when Hounds do chace. They tremble at the Name, Cumberlan'. To Scotland then they came, when they fly, when they fly, To Scotland then they came, when they fly, To Scotland then they came, And they robb'd on every Hand, By Jacobites Command, where they ly. When Duke William does command, you must go, you must go; When Duke William does command, you must go; When Duke William does command, Then you must leave the Land, Your Conscience in your Hand like a Crow. Tho' Carlisle ye took by the Way, by the Way; Tho' Carlisle ye took by the Way; Tho' Carlisle ye took, Short Space ye did it Brook, These Rebels got a Rope on a Day. The Pope and Prelacy, where they came, where they came, The Pope and Prelacy, where they came; The Pope and Prelacy, They rul'd with Cruelty, They ought to hing on high for the same. |
Recordings
Many musicians, including many international bands, have recorded Ye Jacobites, including:- The JohnstonsThe JohnstonsThe Johnstons were an Irish close-harmony folk band, originally founded in Slane, County Meath, Ireland, consisting of Adrienne, Lucy and Michael Johnston. They began performing in the early 1960s in Slane....
, on The Barley Corn (1969) - The CorriesThe CorriesThe Corries were a Scottish folk group that emerged from the Scottish folk revival of the early 1960s. Although the group was a trio in the early days, it was as the partnership of Roy Williamson and Ronnie Browne that it is best known.-Early years:...
, on Live at the Royal Lyceum (1971) - Tri YannTri YannTri Yann is a French band from Nantes , who play folk rock music drawing on traditional Breton folk ballads.The band was founded in 1970 by Jean Chocun, Jean-Paul Corbineau and Jean-Louis Jossic – all of whom remain members – hence the suggested name of Tri Yann an Naoned , Jean and Yann being...
, on their debut album (1972) - Seven NationsSeven NationsSeven Nations is a Celtic rock band that formed in New York City in 1993. The name comes from the seven Celtic nations, including Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Galicia...
, on Old GroundOld GroundOld Ground is an album released by Seven Nations, at that time known as Clan na Gael, in 1995.-Track listing:#Colonel Fraser/The Big Parcel/Elzik's Farewell #No Reason #The Pound a Week Rise #Scream...
(1995) - Billy BraggBilly BraggStephen William Bragg , better known as Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician and left-wing activist. His music blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs, and his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes...
rewrote the lyrics to refer to "ThatcheritesMargaret ThatcherMargaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
" on the EP Bloke on BlokeBloke on BlokeBloke on Bloke is a 1997 outtakes compilation album by British rock musician Billy Bragg. It gathers together several outtakes from the sessions for the William Bloke album...
(1996) - Fiddler's GreenFiddler's Green (band)Fiddler’s Green is a German band from Erlangen that plays independent Irish speedfolk, formed in 1990. Their first concert under the name of Fiddler’s Green was at the Newcomer-Festival in Erlangen in November 1990, where the band came second...
, a German "Independent Irish Speed-Folk" band, on On and On (1997) as "Jacobites" - Connemara Stone Company, on For One Irland (1998)
- Beth PattersonBeth PattersonBeth Patterson is an Irish folk and Celtic musician. Combining traditional Irish, Celtic and folk ballads with Cajun, world-beat and progressive rock influences, her own creative songwriting and a unique sense of humor, Patterson's wit, charm, and beauty are as memorable as her powerful music.A...
played a version of it using the Irish bouzoukiIrish bouzoukiThe Irish bouzouki is a development of the octave mandolin adapted for Irish traditional and other folk music from the late 1960s onward.-Adoption for Celtic music:...
on Hybrid Vigor (1999) - Eddi ReaderEddi ReaderEddi Reader MBE is a Scottish singer-songwriter, known both for her work with Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo career. She is the recipient of three BRIT Awards and has topped both the album and singles charts...
, on The Songs Of Robert Burns (2003) - QuiltyQuiltyQuilty is an Irish family name which has spread throughout the English-speaking world.-Origins and history:The name "Quilty" is an Anglicized form of the ancient Gaelic name of "Caoilte" . There was a mythic Celtic warrior by the name of Caoilte Mac Ronan, who was a member of the Fianna and the...
, a band from Sweden, on I'm Here Because I'm Here (2005) - Beltaine, a Polish Celtic music group, on KoncenTrad (2007)
- TempestTempest (band)Tempest is a Celtic rock band from the San Francisco Bay Area, based in Oakland, California. They fuse together the traditional Celtic music with Norwegian and European folk, American folk, and progressive rock....
a Celtic-rock band from California, on Prime Cuts (2008) - ClachánClachanA clachan is a type of small traditional settlement common in Ireland and Scotland until the middle of the 20th century. It is usually defined as a small village lacking a church, post office, or other formal building. Their origin is unknown, but it is likely that they are of a very ancient...
, on Clachán (2008) - Sherwood, on Sweet Joan (2010)