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Welcome, Royal Charlie

[ Roud 5817 ; G/D 1:136 ; Ballad Index GrD1136 ; trad.]

Archie Fisher sang Welcome Royal Charlie in 1976 on his Folk-Legacy album The Man With a Rhyme. He noted:

I have a soft spot for the Chief Lochiel mentioned in this song, for the story goes that he talked Prince Charlie out of ransacking my native city of Glasgow when its burghers refused to supply the retreating Jacobite army with shoes and supplies. Charlie was not always as welcome in some places as this song implies. If he had been, the result of the ’45 rebellion might have been very different.

The Tannahill Weavers sang Welcome Royal Cherlie on their 1992 Green Linnet album The Mermaid’s Song. They noted:

Apparently this song was written to welcome the “bonnie prince” to Scotland’s shores. Sadly, being French, he didn’t understand a single word of it.

Lyrics

Archie Fisher sings Welcome Royal Charlie

The prince who should oor king hae been,
He wore the royal red and green.
A bonnier lad was never seen
Than oor brave royal Charlie.

Chorus (after each verse):
Oh, ye’ve been lang a-comin’,
Lang, lang, lang a-comin’.
Oh, ye’ve been lang a-comin;
Welcome royal Charlie.

Since oor true king was sent awa’,
A doited German rules us a’,
And we are forced against the law,
For the right belongs to Charlie.

We daurna brew a peck o’ malt
Or German Geordie finds a fault,
And for oor kail we’d scarce get salt,
For the want o’ royal Charlie.

When Charlie in the heilan’ shiel
Forgathered wi’ the great Lochiel,
Oh, what kindness did prevail
Atween the chief and Charlie.

At Falkirk and at Prestonpans,
Supported by oor heilan’ clans,
We broke the Hanoverian bands;
The right belongs to Charlie.

(repeat first verse)

The Tannahill Weavers sing Welcome Royal Cherlie

The prince wha should our king ha’e been,
He wore the royal red and green,
A bonnier lad was never seen
Than our brave royal Cherlie.

Chorus (after each verse):
Oh and ye were lang a comin’,
Lang, lang, lang a comin’,
Oh and ye were lang a comin’,
Welcome royal Cherlie.

Since our true king was sent awa’
A dightly German rules us a’,
And we are forced against the law;
The right belongs tae Cherlie.

We daurnae brew a peck o’ maut
Or German Geordie finds a faut,
And for our kail we’ve scarce got saut
For want o’ royal Cherlie.

When Cherlie in the hielan’ shiel
Was gaithered by the great Lochiel,
Oh what kindness did prevail
Between the chief and Cherlie.

At Falkirk and at Prestonpans
Supported by the hieland clans,
We broke the Hanoverian bands;
The right belongs tae Cherlie.