My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
By Tony Sheridan
My Bonnie lies over the ocean
My Bonnie lies over the sea
My Bonnie lies over the ocean
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me…Bring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me, to me
Bring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to meO blow ye winds over the ocean
O blow ye winds over the sea
O blow ye winds over the ocean
and bring back my Bonnie to meBring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me, to me
Bring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to meLast night as I lay on my pillow
Last night as I lay on my bed
Last night as I lay on my pillow
I dreamt that my Bonnie was deadBring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me, to me
Bring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to meThe winds have blown over the ocean
The winds have blown over the sea
The winds have blown over the ocean
And brought back my Bonnie to meBring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me, to me
Bring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me
Summary of My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
- Popularity of “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” The song is a traditional Scottish folk tune that has been performed by many artists, most famously by The Beatles in their early years. The lyrics express a longing to be reunited with a beloved, and the repetitive verses emphasize the pain of separation and the desire for a return to happiness.
- “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” as a Representation of the Sorrow of Love The simple refrain centers around a desperate yearning for reunion. The speaker expresses intense longing for their “Bonnie,” and the repetition underscores the persistent ache of separation. While some interpretations suggest that “Bonnie” refers to Bonnie Prince Charlie, the song is generally understood as a universal expression of love and loss.
- Major Themes in “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” Painful waiting, memory, request, and sadness are the song’s major themes. The refrain, “Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me,” powerfully conveys the speaker’s anguish and longing. The song explores the profound impact of separation and the desire for a return to a cherished connection.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
Literary devices enrich poetic expression, providing clarity, depth, and emotional resonance. They connect readers to the writer’s ideas and feelings. The lyricist skillfully employs several such devices in these verses, enhancing their overall impact.
- Assonance Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words. Notice how the long “o” sound is repeated in lines like “My Bonnie lies over the ocean,” creating a flowing musical quality.
- Alliteration Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. An excellent example is the repetition of the “b” sound in “Bring back, bring back,” which emphasizes the speaker’s urgent plea.
- Anaphora Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. This is apparent in the repetition of “My Bonnie” at the start of several lines, and in the recurring “O blow” in the third stanza. This reinforces the central subject of the song and heightens its emotional impact.
Last night as I lay on my pillow
Last night as I lay on my bed
Last night as I lay on my pillow.
- Consonance Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds within words. Listen for the repetition of the “n” sound in “and brought back my Bonnie to me,” and the repetition of “m” in “my Bonnie lies.” This adds to the musicality and creates subtle connections between words.
- Enjambment Enjambment occurs when a sentence or phrase continues from one line to the next without punctuation. This can be seen in several lines, such as “Bring back, bring back / Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me, to me.” The enjambment creates a sense of flow and momentum, mirroring the speaker’s urgent desire.
Bring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me, to me
Bring back, bring back
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me
- Imagery Imagery uses descriptive language to evoke sensory experiences. Phrases like “The winds have blown over the ocean” and “last night as I lay on my pillow” create vivid mental pictures and connect the reader to the speaker’s emotions.
- Metaphor While not a central element, the lyric subtly employs metaphor. The journey of the winds can be seen as a metaphor for hope, carrying the speaker’s plea for reunion across the sea.
- Symbolism The ocean itself can be interpreted as a symbol of distance and separation, representing the challenges the speaker faces in reconnecting with their beloved. The winds symbolize hope and the possibility of a return.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
While many literary devices also function as poetic devices, certain techniques are particularly prevalent in poetry. Here is an examination of the poetic devices used in this song.
- Diction The lyric uses simple yet descriptive language. The diction is accessible and evokes a sense of folk tradition, contributing to the song’s emotional honesty.
- Rhyme Scheme The song employs a consistent end rhyme scheme, creating a musical and memorable effect. This is evident in rhyming pairs like “bed” and “dead” and “sea” and “me.” The pattern generally follows an AABB scheme, which is straightforward and enhances its musicality.
- Quatrain Each stanza is a quatrain, meaning it consists of four lines. This structure is common in folk songs and contributes to the rhythmic quality.
- Repetition The repeated refrain, “Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me,” is a key feature of the song. It creates a sense of urgency, emphasizes the speaker’s longing, and acts as a musical anchor.
- Refrain The lines repeated at intervals throughout the song are known as a refrain. “Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me” serves this function, reinforcing the central plea and creating a memorable effect.
- Stanza The song consists of multiple stanzas, each comprising four lines. This structure provides a clear framework for expressing the speaker’s emotions.
- Tone The tone is plaintive, yearning, and hopeful. Despite the sadness of separation, there is an underlying sense of optimism that the beloved will return.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are excellent examples of repetition and can be used to illustrate poetic techniques in an educational setting.
My Bonnie lies over the ocean
My Bonnie lies over the sea
My Bonnie lies over the ocean
Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me…