Redpath was born in Edinburgh, to musical parents. Her mother knew many Scots songs and passed them on to all four of her daughters; her father played the hammer dulcimer. She was raised in Fife, Scotland, and later returned to Edinburgh, taking medieval studies at the university. Hamish Henderson was working in the School of Scottish Studies and Redpath took a keen interest in the archive of tapes and discs of music and songs. To help pay her way through her studies, she worked as a driving instructor and undertaker's assistant. She learned about 400 songs, together with the oral folklore that went with them.
In March 1961, at the age of 24, she went to the United States. Her first performance was in San Francisco. Later she met up with Rambling Jack Elliott and Bob Dylan in Greenwich Village. The natural warmth and power of her voice brought her to perform at Gerde's Folk City. In 1963, following a concert performance, she signed up with Elektra Records. In 1975 she switched to the Philo label. From 1972 to 1976 Jean was artist-in-residence at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. She lectured in folklore and gave talks in schools.
In 1976 Redpath was embarked on a project to record all the songs of Robert Burns. Some being folk songs, some Burns' own compositions, and most a mixture of the two. Twenty-two volumes were planned, but when her collaborator, the composer Serge Hovey died after seven volumes, it came to a premature end. Hovey did the instrumental arrangements for 323 songs, and Redpath felt that no other musician could replace him. The albums won critical praise from around the world. In 1986 she recorded "Lady Nairne," a collection of songs written by Scottish women. She has sensitively reconstructed many songs that might otherwise have been lost.
Between 1974 and 1987, Redpath appeared regularly on Garrison Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion" radio show from NPR. She has also appeared on Robert J. Lurtsema's "Morning Pro Musica" from WGBH in Boston.
She has toured throughout the U.S. and to Canada, and played venues in South America, Hong Kong, and Australia, including the Sydney Opera House, and has performed often at the Edinburgh Folk Festival. In 1977, Redpath appeared at a royal banquet at Edinburgh Castle for Queen Elizabeth II, during Royal Jubilee Year. In spite of all her musical success, she has never had formal musical training.
From 1979 Redpath was a lecturer at the University of Stirling, Scotland, occasionally making a sojourn to Wesleyan University. For ten years she gave courses in Scottish Song at the "Heritage of Scotland" Summer School at Stirling University.
She was awarded the MBE, as well as being named a "Kentucky Colonel" by the Governor of Kentucky. A portrait of Redpath by Alexander Fraser hangs in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.
In 1996 she launched the Burns International Festival.
In 2009, Redpath made an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, singing "Some Kind of Love" by the late John Stewart of the Kingston Trio.
Will Ye No Come Back Again
Jean Redpath Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Safely o'er the friendly main,
Mony a heart will break in twa
Shouuld he ne'er come back again.
Will ye no come back again
Will ye no come back again
Better lo'ed ye canna be,
He trusted in your Hieland men,
They trusted you, dear Charlie.
They kent you're hiding in the glen,
Death or exile braving.
Will ye no come back again
Will ye no come back again
Better lo'ed ye canna be,
Will ye no come back again
We watched thee in the gloamin' hour,
We watched thee in the mornin' grey
Though thirty thousand pounds they gie,
There is nane that would betray.
Will ye no come back again
Will ye no come back again
Better lo'ed ye canna be,
Will ye no come back again
Sweet the laverock's note and lang,
Liltin' wildly up the glen,
But aye tae me he sings a sang,
Will ye no come back again
Will ye no come back again
Will ye no come back again
Better lo'ed ye canna be,
Will ye no come back again
The song Will Ye No Come Back Again by Jean Redpath is a lament for Bonnie Prince Charlie, who has sailed away over the 'friendly main'. It is a plea for him to return and a wishful expression of the love and admiration of the Scottish people for him. The opening verse suggests that if Charlie does not return, there will be the hearts of many that will break in two.
The second and third verses express the trust that the people of the Highlands had in Charlie, as well as his own trust in them. They knew that he was in hiding in the glen, braving either death or exile. The trust displayed here is juxtaposed with the previous verse, as it is implied that the English offered a large sum of money to anyone who would betray him, but no one was willing to do so.
The final verse serves as an ode to the natural beauty of Scotland, with references to the laverock (skylark) singing in the glen. It serves as a bittersweet reminder of the beauty that Charlie has left behind and the desire of the Scottish people for his return.
Overall, the song captures the sentiments of the Scottish people towards Bonnie Prince Charlie and their longing for his return.
Line by Line Meaning
Bonnie Charlie's noo awa'
Beautiful Charlie has now gone away
Safely o'er the friendly main
He has traveled safely over the ocean
Mony a heart will break in twa
Many hearts will break in two
Shouuld he ne'er come back again.
If he never returns.
He trusted in your Hieland men,
You trusted in your Highland men,
They trusted you, dear Charlie.
They trusted you, dear Charlie.
They kent you're hiding in the glen,
They knew you were hiding in the glen,
Death or exile braving.
Risking death or exile.
We watched thee in the gloamin' hour,
We watched you in the twilight hour,
We watched thee in the mornin' grey
We watched you in the morning gray
Though thirty thousand pounds they gie,
Though they offer thirty thousand pounds,
There is nane that would betray.
No one would betray you.
Sweet the laverock's note and lang,
Sweet is the lark's long song,
Liltin' wildly up the glen,
Singing wildly up the glen,
But aye tae me he sings a sang,
But always to me he sings a song,
Will ye no come back again
Won't you come back again
Will ye no come back again
Won't you come back again
Better lo'ed ye canna be,
You can't be loved any better,
Will ye no come back again
Won't you come back again
Contributed by Jack J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.