As a Scottish company, based in the beautiful capital of Edinburgh, we take every chance we get to play Scottish music or music that is in some way connected to our proud nation. The Skye Boat Song tells the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s travels from Benbecula along to the Isle of Skye, whilst avoiding imminent capture from the government soldiers who were ordered to arrest him on sight following his defeat at the 1746 Battle of Culloden, near Inverness.
The lyrics to this piece were written by Sir Harold Boulton. Beforehand, this was a short piece of music referred to as an ‘air’ or can be thought of as a type of folk ‘aria’. This air was formed by Anne Campbell MacLeod during the 1870s.
The song has been used for many years in tourism marketing campaigns for the promotion of the Isle of Skye to visitors around the world. The song had a resurgence in 2014 when the popular television series ‘Outlander‘ used The Skye Boat Song as the theme to the internationally screened drama, which can be viewed on such online platforms as Netflix.
Different wording to the music was composed by none other than Robert Louis Stevenson around the year 1885. Stevenson had deemed the words to the song to be unworthy, so took to writing an alternative set of lyrics himself.
It can be played beautifully on a range of instruments such as the piano and guitar. Some musicians prefer the piece as a slow waltz due to its 3/4 time signature and melodic sway. The song has been covered many times though by musicians who have changed the feel, such as Rod Stewart, Tom Jones and Ella Roberts.
The Skye Boat Song – Outlander Theme Tune
Please feel free to download the sheet music notation below that is suitable for intermediate/beginner level pianists, guitarists and vocalists. There are longer and more significant versions available online for purchase, but as this one is for educational purposes only, it has been arranged accordingly and no fee will be taken for its usage. We hope that learning this song will encourage you to then go on and learn other pieces of music, therefore developing your musical skills and creating a pathway for you as a musician.
Please free free to share this sheet music with your friends and fellow musical learners.
- The Skye Boat Song – Lyrics, Piano, Guitar Chords and Tab
- View more free sheet music for piano, guitar, singing, bass and drums
In learning to play The Skye Boat Song, you are using the G Major & E Natural Minor scales, both of which are related to each other and have the exact same notes.
The chord progression in this song follows the pattern of I – VI – II – V in the key of G Major. That is I is G, VI is Em, II is Am and V is D.
How to play the chords on the piano:
G = G, B, D.
Em = E, G, B.
Am = A, C, E.
D = D, F#, A.
C = C, E, G.
C7 = C, E, G, Bb.
D7 = D, F#, A, C.
The Skye Boat Song (Original Lyrics)
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that’s born to be king
Over the sea to Skye.
Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar,
Thunderclaps rend the air;
Baffled, our foes stand by the shore,
Follow they will not dare.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that’s born to be king
Over the sea to Skye.
Many’s the lad, fought on that day
Well, the claymore did wield;
When the night came, silently lay
Dead on Culloden’s field.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that’s born to be king
Over the sea to Skye.
Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep,
Ocean’s a royal bed.
Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep
Watch by your weary head.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that’s born to be king
Over the sea to Skye.
Burned are their homes, exile and death
Scatter the loyal men;
Yet ere the sword cool in the sheath
Charlie will come again.
The Skye Boat Song (Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1892 version)
Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,
Say, could that lad be I?
Merry of soul he sailed on a day
Over the sea to Skye.
Mull was astern, Rum on the port,
Eigg on the starboard bow;
Glory of youth glowed in his soul;
Where is that glory now?
Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,
Say, could that lad be I?
Merry of soul he sailed on a day
Over the sea to Skye.
Give me again all that was there,
Give me the sun that shone!
Give me the eyes, give me the soul,
Give me the lad that’s gone!
Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,
Say, could that lad be I?
Merry of soul he sailed on a day
Over the sea to Skye.
Billow and breeze, islands and seas,
Mountains of rain and sun,
All that was good, all that was fair,
All that was me is gone.
