Bonnie Dundee facts for kids

John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee, 1648 - 1689 (nicknamed "Bonnie Dundee"). Miniature by David Paton, made between 1660 and 1695. Displayed by the National Galleries of Scotland.

Bonnie Dundee is the name of a famous poem and song. It was written by Walter Scott in 1825. The poem and song honor John Graham, 7th Laird of Claverhouse. He was made the 1st Viscount Dundee in 1688. In 1689, he led a rebellion called a Jacobite rising. He died in this rebellion and became a Jacobite hero.

The tune for "Bonnie Dundee" is much older. It was used for many songs that talked about the beautiful town of Dundee, not about John Graham. Scott's song has become a special march tune. It is used by several Scottish regiments in the British Army.

The Old Tune of "Bonny Dundee"

The tune "Bonny Dundee" is a very old Scottish folk melody. It has been used for at least fifteen different songs. An older version of the tune appeared around 1630. It was called "Adew, Dundee." The name "Bonny Dundee" for the tune first appeared in 1688. It was in an English music book called The Dancing Master.

One popular song that used this tune went like this:

O whaur gat ye that hauver-meal bannock?

Silly blind body, O dinna ye see?

I gat it frae a brisk sodger laddie,

Atween Saint Johnstone and Bonnie Dundee.

O, gin I saw the laddie that gae me't!

Aft has he doudl'd me on o' his knee.

But now he's awa', and I dinner ken whaur he's,

O gin he was back to his minnie and me!

"Saint Johnstone" means Perth. "Bonny Dundee" refers to the town of Dundee. Later, Robert Burns rewrote some lines of this song. He changed them to "May Heaven protect my Bonnie Scots laddie, and send him safe hame to his baby and me." He also added a verse about building a home by the River Tay.

The Story of John Graham

John Graham, the laird (landowner) of Claverhouse, was a key figure in Scotland. From 1668, he helped the King stop a group called the Covenanters. They called him "Bluidy Clavers" (Bloody Claverhouse) because he was very strict.

In 1688, King James VII of Scotland made him the 1st Viscount of Dundee. Soon after, William of Orange took over the throne from King James. This event was called the Glorious Revolution. John Graham was one of the few Scottish nobles who stayed loyal to King James.

He tried to help King James in Edinburgh. But it became too dangerous. So, he led his cavalry (horse soldiers) out of the city. He wanted to continue fighting for James. He was killed during the battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. His forces won that battle, but they were later defeated at the Battle of Dunkeld. More than a hundred years later, Walter Scott wrote a poem about him. This poem made him famous forever.

Walter Scott's Famous Poem

Walter Scott wrote a novel called Old Mortality in 1816. In this book, he showed John Graham in a good light. The story mentioned a soldier humming a Scottish tune. It went, "Between Saint Johnstone and Bonny Dundee, I'll gar ye be fain to follow me." At that time, "Bonny" was often used to describe the town of Dundee. Scott later used this description for John Graham himself.

Scott sent his poem to his daughter-in-law. He joked that he was "a most incorrigible Jacobite." This meant he strongly supported King James and his followers. Scott's poem is definitely told from John Graham's point of view. It has eleven verses, which Scott admitted was "greatly too long." It also has a chorus taken from an old song.

The poem was first printed in a collection called The Christmas Box (1828-9). Then it was part of Scott's play The Doom of Devorgoil (1830). When people sing the song today, they usually only use verses 1, 2, 8, and 10, with the chorus.

Scott's Original Poem (Selected Verses)

Here are some verses from Walter Scott's original poem:

To the Lords of Convention 'twas Clavers who spoke.

'Ere the King's crown shall fall there are crowns to be broke;

So let each Cavalier who loves honour and me,

Come follow the bonnet of Bonny Dundee.

Come fill up my cup, come fill up my can,

Come saddle your horses, and call up your men;

Come open the West Port and let me gae free,

And it's room for the bonnets of Bonny Dundee!

Dundee he is mounted, he rides up the street,

The bells are rung backward, the drums they are beat;

But the Provost, douce man, said, "Just e'en let him be,

The Gude Town is weel quit of that De'il Dundee."

Come fill up my cup, etc.

He spurred to the foot of the proud Castle rock,

And with the gay Gordon he gallantly spoke;

"Let Mons Meg and her marrows speak twa words or three,

For the love of the bonnet of Bonny Dundee."

Come fill up my cup, etc.

"There are hills beyond Pentland and lands beyond Forth,

If there's lords in the Lowlands, there's chiefs in the North;

There are wild Duniewassals three thousand times three,

Will cry hoigh! for the bonnet of Bonny Dundee.

Come fill up my cup, etc.

"Away to the hills, to the caves, to the rocks

Ere I own an usurper, I'll couch with the fox;

And tremble, false Whigs, in the midst of your glee,

You have not seen the last of my bonnet and me!"

Come fill up my cup, etc.

He waved his proud hand, the trumpets were blown,

The kettle-drums clashed and the horsemen rode on,

Till on Ravelston's cliffs and on Clermiston's lee

Died away the wild war-notes of Bonny Dundee.

Come fill up my cup, come fill up my can,

Come saddle the horses, and call up the men,

Come open your gates, and let me gae free,

For it's up with the bonnets of Bonny Dundee!

The Song Version

There are several versions of the song. Here is a common one:

1. Tae the lairds o' convention 'twas Claverhouse spoke

Ere the King's crown go down, there are crowns tae be broke;

Now let each cavalier wha loves honour and me

Come follow the bonnets o' bonnie Dundee.

Chorus:

Come fill up my cup, come fill up my can,

Come saddle my horses and call out my men.

And it's ope' the west port and let us gae free,

And we'll follow the bonnets o' bonnie Dundee!

2. Dundee he is mounted, he rides doon the street,

The bells they ring backwards, the drums they are beat,

But the Provost, (douce man!), says; Just e'en let him be

For the toon is weel rid of that de'il Dundee.

Chorus:

3. There are hills beyond Pentland and lands beyond Forth,

Be there lairds i' the south, there are chiefs i' the north!

And brave duine-uasals*, three thousand times three *("noble men", pron. doony wassals - Gaelic with English s plural)

Will cry "Hai!" for the bonnets o' bonnie Dundee.

Chorus:

4. We'll awa' tae the hills, tae the lea, tae the rocks

E'er I own a usurper, I'll couch wi' the fox!

So tremble, false Whigs, in the midst o' your glee,

For ye've naw seen the last o' my bonnets and me!

Chorus:

Marches

The song "Bonnie Dundee" is used as a special march tune for several military groups. These include:

• The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (Canada)
• 1st Hussars (Canada)
• The Brockville Rifles (Canada)
• The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders (Canada)
• The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry) (Canada)
• The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada (D Company) (Canada)

It is also used by some British cavalry regiments and the Royal Horse Artillery. The Tayforth Universities Officers Training Corps, based in Dundee, also uses it as their regimental march.

Fun Parodies of the Song

Walter Scott's song has been parodied (made fun of or copied with changes) by famous writers. These include Lewis Carroll and Rudyard Kipling.

Lewis Carroll

Lewis Carroll wrote a parody in his book Through the Looking-Glass (1871). Here are some lines from it:

To the Looking-Glass world it was Alice that said

"I've a sceptre in hand, I've a crown on my head.

Let the Looking-Glass creatures, whatever they be

Come dine with the Red Queen, the White Queen and Me!"

Then fill up the glasses as quick as you can,

And sprinkle the table with buttons and bran:

Put cats in the coffee, and mice in the tea--

And welcome Queen Alice with thirty-times-three!

Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling also wrote a parody. It was called "Parade Song of the Camp Animals." This song is in The Jungle Book, published in 1894.

By the brand on my shoulder, the finest of tunes

Is played by the Lancers, Hussars, and Dragoons,

And it's sweeter than "Stables" or "Water" to me--

The Cavalry Canter of "Bonnie Dundee"!

Then feed us and break us and handle and groom,

And give us good riders and plenty of room,

And launch us in column of squadron and see

The way of the war-horse to "Bonnie Dundee"!

American Civil War

During the American Civil War, old English, Irish, and Scottish songs were often changed. The Confederate soldiers often did this. The song Riding a Raid uses the tune of "Bonnie Dundee." It tells a story from the 1862 Antietam Campaign.

Riding a Raid

'Tis old Stonewall the Rebel that leans on his sword,

And while we are mounting prays low to the Lord:

"Now each cavalier that loves honor and right,

Let him follow the feather of Stuart tonight."

Chorus:

Come tighten your girth and slacken your rein;

Come buckle your blanket and holster again;

Try the click of your trigger and balance your blade,

For he must ride sure that goes riding a raid.

Second Boer War

During the Second Boer War, some Afrikaner people in Winburg made fun of the British soldiers. They sang a parody of Bonnie Dundee. This parody celebrated the guerrilla warfare of a Boer leader named Christiaan De Wet.

De Wet he is mounted, he rides up the street

The English skedaddle an A1 retreat!

And the commander swore: They've got through the net

That's been spread with such care for Christiaan De Wet.