{"id":51686,"date":"2024-05-18T01:45:09","date_gmt":"2024-05-17T23:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=2041691"},"modified":"2024-05-18T02:54:14","modified_gmt":"2024-05-18T00:54:14","slug":"what-is-the-skye-boat-song-lyrics-and-origin-of-doctor-who-song","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/what-is-the-skye-boat-song-lyrics-and-origin-of-doctor-who-song\/","title":{"rendered":"What is The Skye Boat Song? Lyrics and origin of Doctor Who song"},"content":{"rendered":"

The tune featured prominently in latest episode Boom \u2013 and has actually appeared in the series before. <\/p>

By Morgan Jeffery\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Saturday, 18 May 2024 at 23:45 PM<\/p>

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*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Doctor Who \u2013 Boom*<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cCarry the lad that\u2019s born to be king \/ Over the sea to\u00a0Skye\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Hot on the tap-dancing heels of last week\u2019s The Devil\u2019s Chord<\/a>, the latest episode of Doctor Who<\/a> featured another musical moment\u2026 though the context couldn\u2019t be more different.<\/p>\n

Boom<\/a> \u2013 written by former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat \u2013 sees the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa<\/a>) land the TARDIS on the war-torn planet of Kastarion 3. Hearing a voice cry out, he runs in its direction\u2026 only to put his foot in it, quite literally, by stepping on a highly-advanced landmine.<\/p>\n

By the time Ruby (Millie Gibson<\/a>) catches up to him, the Doctor is rooted to the spot, unable to move, and is singing a haunting melody in an effort to calm his nerves, which he identifies to his companion as The Skye Boat Song.<\/p>\n

The Skye Boat Song is not an original composition \u2013 it\u2019s a tune that originated in the late 19th century and it has actually featured in Doctor Who before. Read on to learn more\u2026<\/p>\n

What is The Skye Boat Song?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Ncuti\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor in Doctor Who: Boom.<\/span><\/figcaption> BBC<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The origins of The Skye Boat Song are rather complicated \u2013 the tune began life as a Galiec song composed in 1782 by Scottish writer William Ross, entitled Cuachag nan Craobh (\u201cCuckoo of the Tree\u201d) with lyrics about an unrequited love.<\/p>\n

A century later, songwriter Sir Harold Boulton, 2nd Baronet, composed new lyrics to Ross\u2019s tune and gave it the new title of \u201cThe Skye Boat Song\u201d \u2013 Boulton\u2019s version was inspired by the journey of Prince Charles Edward Stuart (or \u201cBonnie Prince Charlie\u201d) from Benbecula to the Isle of Skye as he evaded capture by government soldiers after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.<\/p>\n

It is this version of the song that the Doctor performs in Boom, singing the opening chorus and first verse. \u201cThat song\u2019s about Bonnie Prince Charlie,\u201d he tells Ruby. \u201cIt\u2019s sweet and it\u2019s sad and it\u2019s about soldiers fighting. But it\u2019s sad like a lullaby \u2013 and it\u2019s right, isn\u2019t it? Songs about soldier should be sad, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n

There is also a third version of the song, again with different lyrics, which were composed by novelist and poet Robert Louis Stevenson.<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n