Broadside ballad entitled 'Sandy and the Days o' Langsyne'

Commentary

Verse 1: 'What makes ye sae wae, wi' tear in your e'e, / For blythe ye was ance, man, wi' pleasure and glee. / Come gie me yer loof in this auld loof o' mine, / And we'll tak a wee drappie for the days o' langsyne.' The name of the publisher is not included and the sheet is not dated.

As this broadside contains a sentimental and nostalgic ballad on the subject of the failed Jacobite Risings, it must have been written long after 1746. With an end of verse refrain to remind people that these events took place a long time ago, the ballad praises Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite Clans, while it criticises the Hanoverian King, George I, and his heirs. The woodcut on this broadside is especially interesting, as the imagery clearly alludes to the famous 'king o'er the water' theme, in addition to showing traditional Jacobite symbols such as the white cockade and the toasting glass.

Early ballads were dramatic or humorous narrative songs derived from folk culture that predated printing. Originally perpetuated by word of mouth, many ballads survive because they were recorded on broadsides. Musical notation was rarely printed, as tunes were usually established favourites. The term 'ballad' eventually applied more broadly to any kind of topical or popular verse.

previous